Ten
Clover
What is wrong with me? Why did I claim to be Thor’s girlfriend? Angie’s threats must have rattled me more than I realized. All I know is that I still don’t want anyone discovering who I am. But Thor insisted on bringing his friends with him to come to my rescue. Which is kind of sweet.
No. No. Not sweet. Intrusive.
And then he insisted on calling the cops even though I told him it was fine.
He’s right though. It isn’t fine. Not at all. Having Mom’s estranged co-worker break into my home and leaving me flowers is the opposite of fine. It’s wretched. Terrible. Dire. Very bad. Unwelcome. Horrific. And straight-up creepy.
Thor’s friend, Christian, left not long after they arrived. But Cai, who Thor says is a firefighter, stayed behind. I get the feeling that Thor asked him to keep an eye on things outside since he hasn’t stepped foot into my home. Instead, Cai’s pacing my driveway and the sidewalk. While I’m talking to the cops, Thor steps outside and motions for Cai. They speak on the front porch, their gazes drifting to me a few times through the window. Then, Cai leaves, too.
One of the cops can’t seem to keep his eyes off me. As soon as I mentioned who my parents are, he got that wide-eyed wonder look people get when they meet someone famous or famous adjacent. I’m trying to ignore him. I’m also trying to ignore the neighbors who are suddenly taking evening strolls as if it’s their daily routine. This is not good. My identity is going to be leaked, and I’m going to have to move. Which sucks because I like this neighborhood.
Mom calls and texts me a dozen times before I’m finally able to let her know I’m okay. She and Daddy threaten to come to Denver, but once I assure her that the police are here, along with the bodyguard they hired, they seem to relax. The last thing I need is for my parents to show up. Or worse, try to drag me back to California.
I’m tense as the cops snap pictures and dust for prints. One of them notices an outdoor planter that seems to be disturbed. I can’t believe I forgot I’d taped a key to the bottom of it for emergencies. And now Angie has a key to my house. A band tightens around my chest at the realization.
It sounds as if all the voices around me are coming through a tunnel. Having so many people in my home is making my skin crawl. My limbs are heavy, and all I want to do is collapse into bed and pretend none of this is happening. My vision is unfocused. I’ve disassociated with everything going on so that I don’t spiral into a panic attack.
My mind wanders to Thor calming me down over the phone. Is he aware of how close I was to having a full-fledged attack?
“Thank you, Officer. I’ll be sure to report anything else straightaway,” Thor says to the policeman before seeing him out.
While Thor is outside with the cops, it’s perfect bliss. I close my eyes, drawing in deep breaths and trying to forget about how violated I feel knowing someone was in my home. Or how anxious I’ve been since the police arrived and my identity was revealed. All it takes is one loose-lipped cop to ruin everything I’ve built here for the past six months.
Low voices have my eyes opening. Glancing outside, I see Cai—who must have returned—and Thor talking. Cai hands him a bag and claps him on the shoulder before leaving.
I scratch my arms, my eyes looking to the kitchen counter where the flowers were. I’m glad the cops took them as evidence. A shudder rushes through me as Thor opens the door, causing me to yelp.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” He shuts the door gently behind him.
Rubbing my arm, I force the nerves down. “I’m just on edge.”
Thor nods. “Understandable.”
Crossing my arms, I eye Thor and the mysterious bag suspiciously. “Did you tell your friends about me?”
His brow furrows. “No. The only thing they know is what you told them before Christian left.”
A small measure of relief seeps into my bones. “Thank you. ”
“I wouldn’t betray your trust, Clover.” Dropping the bag, he comes to stand in front of me, watching me carefully. “Do you trust me?”
Meeting his gaze, I nod. “Yes.” I hate that I do. How can I trust him so much after only a few days?
He smiles wide, the creases around his eyes crinkling. “My boss is going to send one of the guys out to replace your locks.”
“Oh.” I hadn’t even thought of needing to get my locks replaced in all the madness. “Thank you.”
“Now, go pack a bag.”
I blink. “What?”
“A bag. You know? Something that you put things in?”
Scowling, I plant a fist on my hip. “I know what a bag is, moron. Why do I need to pack one?”
He glances around my home before meeting my eyes again. “You don’t want to stay here, Love. I have somewhere we can go.”
“We?”
“I’m your bodyguard, remember?” His lips lift into a smirk. “Or I guess I should say boyfriend.”
I roll my eyes. “No. Absolutely not my boyfriend.”
Thor shrugs, a smirk tugging at his lips. “It might be easier while we’re traveling if we keep up the charade.”
“Of course, you’d say that.”
“Stop arguing and go pack your bags.”
“I’m fine here. Really.”
He shakes his head. “No. You aren’t. ”
“You’re kind of bossy. Maybe I should call and get them to send Nick back.”
A low growl erupts from his chest as he steps closer, but not enough to crowd me. “Nick’s not going to have a job by the time I’m done filling my boss in on his incompetence.” His intense stare bores into me for a moment, then his lips tip up. “But I am curious how you gave him the slip.”
I snort. “You act like it was hard.”
He crosses his arms, cocking an eyebrow. “It should have been. You were his assignment. He shouldn’t have taken his eyes off of you.” His face contorts a little as if the idea of Nick looking at me makes him disgusted.
“He couldn’t very well follow me into the little girl’s room. Could he?”
Thor’s mouth drops open. “You have got to be kidding me. He fell for that?”
I almost want to laugh at his expression. Turning away, I say over my shoulder, “You say that as if you think the man has a brain in that pea-sized head of his.”
Thor’s laugh follows me to my bedroom, and I find myself smiling. What? Ugh. Why am I smiling at the Viking? Shaking myself, I grab my bag and toss in a few clothes. I’m not sure how long we’ll be gone, so I pack my e-reader and laptop too. I still have deadlines to meet. Even if a deranged woman is stalking me.
I swallow the lump in my throat before it can develop into something more. Once I’ve thrown a few hygiene products in, I zip it up and step out of my room. Thor is lifting something out of the bags Cai left him, and I halt when I realize it’s a woman’s motorcycle helmet. A purple one. Then, he pulls out matching gloves and a purple leather jacket that looks to be my size.
“What’s that?” I drop my bag beside me.
He glances up. “It’s your gear. Can’t have you on my bike without the proper equipment.”
Crossing my arms, I bark out a laugh. “Um. No.” There’s no way I’m getting on a motorcycle with him.
Thor’s red eyebrow quirks up. “No?”
“What makes you think I’d get on a bike”—I motion toward the window where his bike sits in my driveway—“with you?” I point at him. “We’ll take my car.”
“Can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because we need to leave your car in the driveway. The police are going to be monitoring the house, along with some of the OGs. So if she shows back up, we want her to think you’re home.”
Well, can’t argue with that. I stare at the helmet, jacket, and gloves he’s holding out to me as if they’re foreign objects. Why does accepting them feel like . . . something? I’m getting ready to head to Lord knows where with a practical stranger on his bike. If I wasn’t in danger, I’d laugh at the fact that my life is basically a script from one of Mom’s movies—or one of the many books I edit and read.
Thor sighs, moving toward me. “Love, my job is to protect you. This”—he shakes the helmet, jacket, and gloves—“is me protecting you. Let me do my job.”
I huff and jerk the items out of his hands. “Fine. But I don’t like it.” I shoot him a glare. “And stop calling me Love,” I add.
He smiles and raises his hands. “Can’t say Clover without ‘love’. Can you?” I roll my eyes as he adds, “Plus, you’re the one who had to go tell everyone I was your boyfriend.”
“It was a mistake. I panicked.”
Shrugging, he sticks his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels, his mouth twisting into a smirk. “Don’t apologize. I like that your first instinct when you panic is to run into my arms.”
I scowl at him, pushing my arms into the jacket. “Well, don’t get used to it. It was a one-time slip-up.” A stab of guilt pierces me at my sharp tone as I zip up the jacket. It’s high-end quality, with a built-in spine protector. He must have dropped a pretty penny on it, but I’m sure Daddy will be getting the bill for it.
He hums thoughtfully. “We’ll see about that.”
Ignoring him, I pick up my bag and follow him out the door. After I lock up, I walk slowly to where Thor is leaning against his motorcycle looking like bad decisions clad in leather. My step falters as I swallow past the apprehension and focus on the bike instead of the man beside it. From a distance, it looks black, but the closer I get, I notice it’s an iridescent black that changes from black to blue and then to purple depending on the angle. It’s impressive, but fear still grips my chest.
My gaze darts from Thor’s muscular form to his bike, and I worry my bottom lip. I’ve lost my mind. Am I really going to do this? I could call a ride. Wouldn’t that be the simplest solution ?
Before I can protest, Thor grabs my bag and secures it on the rear rack. Then, he’s mounting the bike and slipping his helmet on before pulling his gloves on his hands.
I’m still frozen in fear, anxiety climbing up my throat. I can’t do this. I can’t leave my home and ride off into the sunset with my bodyguard. It’s too much.
Thor lifts his visor, his eyes softening as he watches me. “I promise you’ll be safe with me. This is the best plan to keep you safe. But if you truly don’t want to get on, we’ll go back inside.”
My throat tightens as I swivel to look at the front door. The thought of staying in my house right now has panic flaring to life. Biting my lip, I face forward again. Thor is studying me and there’s something in his gaze. A challenge?
“Clover, you’re a fighter. I’ve got the busted nose to prove it.”
“You barely know me,” I whisper, hugging myself, trying to push all the intrusive thoughts away.
“I’ve got a good sense for these things. So, put your helmet and gloves on and get on.”
My eyebrow lifts. “I thought you said we could go back in?”
“I changed my mind,” he says, and I can hear the grin in his voice. “I dare you to get on the bike.”
I glare at him. “This isn’t third grade. You can’t just double-dog dare me to do something and expect I’ll do it.”
He shrugs, glancing around. “Suit yourself. But you’ll always wonder. ”
I’m ready to throw my hands up in the air. This man is infuriating. “Wonder what?” I hear myself asking. Why do I let him get under my skin?
Piercing amber eyes meet mine. “What adventures you missed out on by going back inside.”
We’re stuck in a stare down until I see my neighbor from across the road out of the corner of my eyes. She’s watching Thor and me, a little too closely. Good gravy. Huffing, I slip my helmet on and tighten it, then pull my gloves on and slide onto the bike behind Thor. My arms instinctively come around his waist, holding on to him as loosely as possible, as I refuse to notice how firm his stomach is or the feel of the gun he carries underneath his shirt.
“If you need anything, squeeze my thigh and I'll stop,” he says over his shoulder.
“How about I punch you instead?” As if clinging to his back and abs wasn't enough.
His chuckle rumbles from his back and through my chest. “Wouldn't advise it.”
“I'll take my chances.”
Another chuckle vibrates from him as he flips his visor down and fiddles with something on his helmet. “Don’t be afraid to hold on real tight, Love.” His voice startles me, coming through the comms on my helmet. Why, that diabolical troll.
“And I need to squeeze your leg to stop when you have comms because . . . ?”
His shoulder lifts in a shrug. “Can't blame a man for trying. ”
I bite back my retort, knowing it will only egg him on. As if he needs any encouragement.
“You ready?”
No, but what choice do I have? “Yep.”
Great. Not only do I have to plaster myself to the annoying Viking, but now I have to hear his commentary the entire time on our way to—
“Hey, where are we going anyway?” I ask as he hits the starter button and begins to pull out.
“On an adventure.”