Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
Grey
“Grey,” Felix murmurs. “Grey, someone’s at the door. I hear the phone. It keeps going off.” I feel his hands on me, shaking me.
Blinking myself awake, my first thought is to smile feeling Felix’s body draped over me. Damn, I like this. But my mood sours hearing the doorbell go off again. “What time is it?”
I glance over at the clock. It’s almost seven in the morning. Who the hell is here this early? The Otters won with the winning goal by Oli last night. I rewatched the last period after I licked this gorgeous man clean.
Watching my friends celebrate on the ice made me want to be there too. I’m so proud of my team. Because they are, they’re still my team.
I texted Atlas and Oli, congratulating them both, and told Oli to let Andre know he was incredible last night.
Three more to go and the cup is ours. They have another home game tomorrow night then away games.
They won’t win them all, which means they’ll make another round back home most likely.
I’ll be there. Hell, I’ll figure it out and fly to Virgina if I need to.
Either way I’ll be there for the last game.
I know they’re probably hungover to hell and back right now so it’s probably not them. Alyssa is most likely at home. We’re having dinner tonight anyway.
The doorbell goes off again. “Fuck, okay.” I grab my phone, clicking the camera app, and ice crawls across my chest. Shit.
“What?” Felix’s sleepy eyes blink at me. It’s fucking adorable, and I’m pissed I can’t just sit in here and enjoy this morning with him.
I look at the slimy fuck standing at my door. Don’t kill him. Do not commit a crime. Do not go to prison. “Stay in here. Do not come out.”
“What?” Then it clicks. “No, Grey.”
“Do not come out there for anything. Do you hear me? If he asks to come inside, I’m going to let him.”
Felix snaps out of sleep. “No!”
“Listen to me.” I cup his face. “He’s probably here this early to catch me off guard. If I let him into the living room or kitchen, he can check everything out. Maybe he’ll stop coming up here. Nothing of yours is even here.”
“Shoes.”
“I’ll hide the shoes. Hell, I’ll throw them out and buy you new ones today.” I try to laugh. “You’ll be okay. You stay here and lock my bedroom door when I leave.
“No. No, please. Grey. Please. No.”
I smooth my thumbs along his cheek and kiss his forehead. “Do you trust me?”
I pull back to look at him. The war in his eyes breaks my heart. How can I blame him? We only met months ago. He’s had a decade of mistrust and abuse to compare it to.
“I—”
“It’s okay. I got you.” I kiss him. “I won’t let anything happen to you. Not while I’m around. Got it? I swear, Felix. He is not taking you anywhere. You’re free.” He swallows, nodding. “This is your home now, okay?” My phone goes off again.
I get up, slipping on a pair of sweats, and limp to my door. We iced my knee after I blew him and I’m not feeling so bad today. I don’t know if it’s that I’m just getting used to it after accepting it, the PT, or that I’m taking it easy.
I make it to my door just as another round of rings sounds. This fucking guy doesn’t give up. Which is why I’ll let him in. If he can come in and see no one else is here, maybe he’ll fuck off. I whip open the door, startling him. “What?”
He straightens, trying to make himself seem taller. It’s pathetic. “Uh, sorry to wake you.”
“Yeah, you seem real torn up about it. I told you I don’t know who the hell you’re looking for, but why would they be all the way up here?” I look at his badge. “Officer Cartright? Seems like you’re a long way from your jurisdiction.”
“We’re working with the local police to locate this missing person. It’s been a few months, and the only lead we have has led us to this town. We’re checking to see if anyone has any updates.”
“Didn’t you leave a number?” He nods. “Don’t you think people would call if they saw something?”
“You see, we have witnesses saying that someone who matches the missing man’s description was seen with you down at CHS hospital.” What the hell is he talking about?
My appointments. Felix wore a hat while we were outside. How closely is this dumbass following us? “I go to PT downtown. They’re probably talking about my caregiver.”
“Caregiver?”
“Yes.” This is insane.
“And what’s his name?”
“Tucker.” I make up on the fly.
“Tucker.” He tastes the name like it’s bad. “Would you mind if I come in? Just a few more questions, then I’ll be on my way.”
Whatever, if it gets him off my back. “For a minute.” I let him in, noticing the surprise that slips onto his face. He’s a few inches shorter than I am. I try my best not to limp as I sit on the couch.
“Do you live alone?” he asks.
“That’s not your business.”
He looks around the living room. “What about your caregiver? He live here?”
“Again, not your business.”
“Can I take a look around?”
“No.” I glare right through him.
“You’re being uncooperative.”
“I was woken up too damn early to answer questions about some random missing person I know nothing about. Unless you want to get a warrant, you will sit your happy ass right there.” I wink and smile at him.
I see it rolling under his skin. This man doesn’t like to be told no. I think back to last night and how Felix flinched when I grabbed his ass.
Okay, if I think about that right now, I might snap his neck.
“Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“You’re said you’re a hockey player, right?” My attention snaps to him. “I’m more of a football guy myself.”
Whoopdee fucking do. “And?”
He sits back in the chair. “Nothing, just making conversation.”
“You woke me up to have a random conversation?”
“If I show you another picture, could you verify whether you’ve seen this person?” He reaches into his pocket, grabbing his phone.
I rub a hand over my face. “Sure. Whatever.”
He holds out the image of Felix, clear as day. It looks like it was taken from someone’s door camera. I try my best to keep my face neutral. “Have you seen this man?”
“No. Why do you want to find him so bad if he’s not dangerous?” Oh, he is dangerous alright, just in the best way possible.
“Not dangerous. His partner is worried. He hasn’t heard from him in months. Just doing my job.” Bullshit.
“Well, if that’s it—”
“One more thing. He holds out a photo on his phone, but this time it’s me on camera. It looks like it was taken downtown, and Felix is at my side. I try everything to hold in my emotions. “Looks kind of like the guy we’re looking for.”
I’m lucky the shot is blurry, as if whoever took it had to zoom in a lot.
Who the hell took this photo? It doesn’t look like it’s from a security camera.
It’s also from a distance. Is he following me?
The only saving grace I have is that he seems to be alone, which means he’s doing this behind his precinct’s back.
I know cops can be corrupt and help their colleagues hide things, which makes me wonder why he seems to be going about this solo.
“That’s my caregiver.”
“Looks a lot like—”
“A tall man with brown hair?”
“And how long has Tucker worked for you?” Just stay calm.
“Since December,” I lie. “If that’s it, I think you need to—”
“That your journal?” Confused for a moment, I look to see Felix’s notebook out on the end table.
“I keep track of game stats and my recovery. It keeps me busy.” This is the last time I’m opening the door for this man. I almost guarantee he won’t have a warrant. He has to be acting alone. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going back to bed.”
Steven hesitates for a moment before getting up. “Fine.” He looks around my living room as if hoping to see traces of Felix. The thing is, Felix came here with nothing but the clothes on his back and that notebook. “You have a nice day.”
I don’t respond, leading him to the door and shutting it hard behind him. Once Officer Dipidy Dipshit leaves, I lock and code everything, make sure my curtains are closed, and rush back to my room, knocking. “It’s me. He’s gone.”
Slowly Felix opens the door. His red-rimmed eyes break my heart, and the way he clings on to me hurts even more. “I’m so sorry.” He holds me tight, burying his face in my chest. How can someone hurt someone they claim to love.
I rub his back and kiss the top of his head. “It’s going to be alright.”
“He won’t stop. He knows I’m here.”
I cup his face and make him look at me, smoothing both thumbs under his eyes.
“Hey. I told you. You’re not leaving this house unless you want to.
We have nothing to do today. My family is coming tonight for dinner.
We’re going to have a great day, alright?
” I debate telling him about the notebook.
Felix had said he didn’t know about it, but still, he looked at the notebook the same way he did the shoes.
I won’t tell him now. He’s already upset. It doesn’t matter.
I meant what I said.
Felix isn’t leaving here unless he wants to.
“Pass the potatoes, please.” Lianna reaches as far as she can, and I grab the pot and scoop some onto her plate. Felix may not be an official caregiver, but he’s a damn good cook.
“Everything’s delicious,” Landon says.
“Thank you,” Felix says quietly, not looking up.
I really wish the anxiety rolling off him would’ve dissolved some since this morning. He’s withdrawing back into himself like he was when he first got here.
I feel eyes on me and look up, surprised to see my sister, her eyes widened, tilting her head in Landon’s direction. What?! He didn’t play last night! Give me a break. She gives me another hard look, her eyes saying everything while her lips say nothing.
Whatever. “So . . . congrats on the win last night,” I grit. “You guys played great.”