Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
dani
I muttered a curse when the coffee maker beeped after I pressed the wrong button.
Glancing over my shoulder, I made sure I was still alone before trying again to get this fancy contraption to just pour a regular cup of coffee.
I didn’t even know what it was. It looked like something straight out of a coffee shop, not something for home use.
I was running on a total of one hour of sleep and needed caffeine to make it through the day.
Coffee began dribbling into the cup, and I leaned against the counter, sighing in relief.
Last night was a shit show. I couldn’t believe I was staying in Kole’s house.
I didn’t think he had any idea on how close I was to attempting to kill him.
When I’d heard someone bumping through the house in the middle of the night, the terror that had flooded me was paralyzing.
It brought back memories of that night. The night I thought I was never going to survive.
I absentmindedly slipped my fingers under the hem of my white blouse and traced the scar from when I was stabbed.
The only reason I held back last night was because this was my chance at leading a normal life.
If I ended up on trial for killing someone, there was no way I’d be able to stay here and finish this.
The one-year internship would dissolve my student debt, and I’d be free from everything. Maybe then I’d find a way to be happy.
My neck prickled, and I knew I wasn’t alone before I even moved.
I blew out a breath, wondering if this asshole was going to be pissed that I used his coffee.
He made it clear last night that he didn’t want me in his house.
I slowly turned around, my guard rising when I spotted him on the other side of the counter, standing between two of the barstools.
His inked arms were crossed, his eyes going from the coffee to me as a frown settled on his lips.
“I’ll buy you more,” I clipped out, wishing the coffee would pour faster. “I don’t have time to stop at the coffee shop before work.”
“No time?” he drawled, raising an eyebrow. “Or no money?”
I fought to keep my features blank. “I have money.”
“That’s why you stole ice cream from my freezer instead of buying food?”
“Stealing it was better than having to talk to you again to order,” I snapped. “You were an ass when I tried to get a drink.”
He rounded the counter, and I bit my tongue, refusing to react when he entered my personal space, even though my survival instincts were screaming at me.
I never let people get this close to me, especially where I’d been living the last few years.
His eyes grazed over my face, and I knew he didn’t miss my fuck off expression, but that didn’t stop him from gripping the counter on either side of me, caging me in.
“You weren’t complaining when I was between your legs,” he murmured. “Was I an ass then? Because your screams would say otherwise.”
I scowled, ignoring the heat swirling in my stomach from thinking of our time in the pantry. His smug grin had anger creeping through me as we stayed locked in the stare-off.
I reached under his outstretched arm, snagging the bagel I’d planned on eating, and held it up for him to see. “Hungry?”
“No—”
I smashed the bread between his lips as he answered, and his eyes widened, his arm leaving the counter to grab the food from his mouth.
“You’re right,” I stated as I shoved him away from me. “You’re much more tolerable when your mouth is busy.”
I ducked away as he spit out the rest of the bagel before spinning around to face me. He swiped the crumbs off his lips, his stormy eyes landing on me as he slowly sucked in a deep breath and then blew it out as he stayed absolutely still.
“The only way this will work is if we stay civil until they find you another place to live,” he said gruffly.
I crossed my arms. “I agree. Stay out of my personal space while I’m here. You crowding me against the counter isn’t going to intimidate me. I have nowhere else to go, so we both have to deal with me being here for now.”
He studied me before his eyes darted to the mess of bread on the counter for a second before he focused back on me. “Would you have used that knife on me last night?”
“Yes,” I answered honestly. “If you attacked me.”
“You attacked me,” he muttered. “In my own damn house.”
“I didn’t know that at the time,” I defended myself. “All I heard was thumping and then a stranger coming toward my bedroom. What the hell were you doing so loudly anyway?”
“I wasn’t aware I needed to be quiet in my own home,” he bit out. “I was starting laundry.”
“Laundry?” I repeated in surprise. “In the middle of the night?”
“I do laundry every Sunday night after work.” His words were fast and sharp as if he didn’t want to spend time explaining anything to me.
My eyes wandered to the clock on the stove, and I cursed, glancing at the filling coffee cup with longing.
I didn’t have time to drink it, or I was going to be late on my first day.
Kole moved, tearing my attention from the coffee.
He was wiping the bread off the counter and into his open hand.
I raised an eyebrow, automatically scrutinizing his actions as he dumped the crumbs in the trash can.
I grew more interested when he grabbed a washcloth and wiped down the counter, making sure he got everything.
Between this and his mention of doing laundry every Sunday night, it was obvious he liked things organized and clean.
He peered at me, his usual frown spreading across his face when he caught me watching him.
“What?” he snapped.
I shot him a sweet smile just to get under his skin before walking away. I could feel his eyes on me as I picked up my purse off the counter. I got halfway through the living room before he spoke up again.
“That’s not what you’re wearing, is it?”
I froze, glancing down at my carefully-chosen outfit.
The small amount of money I had went to buying business outfits for this internship.
I was wearing a white blouse that I planned to tuck into a knee length black pencil skirt.
The black jacket I had matched it perfectly, and the short heels were already hurting my feet since I hadn’t worn any kind of raised heel in years.
“There’s nothing wrong with what I’m wearing,” I retorted, not turning around to look at him.
“It doesn’t matter where your internship is, you’re going to stand out,” he informed me. “No one dresses like that. It’s casual here.”
I couldn’t tell if he was fucking with me because of what I just did to him, or if he was being serious—but either way—I didn’t have time to change.
Without another word, I strode to the front door, ignoring his chuckle.
The cool air hit my face as I shut the door behind me and started my way down the sidewalk.
Before Kole interrupted me last night, I memorized the directions to where I’d be working and was glad that it was right near town hall.
My stomach was twisting with both hunger and nerves as I walked, and my thoughts were racing about everything.
The new job. My new damn roommate. This small town.
It was all so overwhelming, and I felt like I haven’t been able to breathe since getting on the bus the other day.
Well, except for when I was in the pantry with Kole.
I groaned, speeding up my pace. That would not be happening again, so I just needed to forget about it.
I got to the main part of town, sucking in a quick breath when I saw the police department.
I wondered who I’d be working with while I was here, or if there were other interns who would be here too.
I pulled open the door, welcoming the warmth as I stepped inside.
It was small and dated. A desk was on the back wall, and there were some chairs pushed against the walls to the side of me.
The flooring reminded me of the ugly white linoleum from high school.
The walls were an off-white and needed a new coat of paint.
“Can I help you?”
The guy sitting behind the desk didn’t look up from his book as he questioned me, and I moved closer to him, my grip on my purse tightening.
He looked to be in his late twenties, his brown hair cut short.
My eyes fell to the tattoos on his neck, and when he raised his head to look at me, I gave him a small smile.
“I’m Dani,” I introduced myself. “I’m—”
“One of the interns,” he finished for me, his expression staying uninterested until his gaze swept over my outfit. “Go through that door. Your boss is at the first desk.”
I swallowed thickly, noticing he was wearing a blue t-shirt.
Nothing fancy or even business casual clothes.
Maybe Kole had been telling the truth about me being overdressed.
Forcing myself not to obsess over it, I walked to the door in the back of the room that the guy motioned to and pushed it open.
This area was larger than the front, most of the room scattered with desks.
In the back of the room was a small, barred cell, reminding me of an old western movie.
People weren’t kidding when they said this town was small.
They didn’t even have a jail. The computers on every desk looked like they belonged in the nineties.
Old and bulky, taking up half of the desktops.
The stale air filled my nose, and I glanced at the closed windows, hoping they would get opened at some point.
“Who are you?”
My eyes fell on the woman sitting at the desk to the right of me. Her jeans and casual black sweater had my gut churning. Kole was fucking right about my clothes. Between this lady, and the guy up front, I was going to be the most overdressed person here.
Her sharp hazel eyes were staring at me quizzically before her gaze fell to my outfit.
Her hair was a reddish brown, styled in a braid that was draped over her shoulder.
Wrinkles lined her forehead when she raised her eyebrows at me, and I recognized the look in her eyes when she met my gaze.
Haunted and cold. If I were to go with my first instinct, I’d say she had a hard life.
“I’m Dani Henderson—”
“Ah, yes. My new psychologist.” She stood up and rounded the desk to shake my hand.
“You do know I only have my masters, not my PhD—”
“I’m aware,” she cut me off. “You’ll be working under me but be prepared to be on all cases. Not that we get many here. Your pen will be your best friend because you’ll be doing a lot of paperwork.”
A rush of annoyance shot through me at her interruption, but I swallowed it, not wanting to start off on the wrong foot with my new boss. She flipped her braid off her shoulder, her eyes sweeping over my clothes again.
“As long as it’s not sweats, feel free to wear what you’d like. We aren’t fussy here.”
My face heated as I nodded, knowing I didn’t have many clothes to choose from. I was going to have to do some more shopping once I got paid.
“I’m Natalie Harris,” she introduced herself. “I have my PhD in psychology with a focus on family studies. You having majored in forensics will be beneficial.”
“Family studies?” I repeated in surprise. “Then why are you working with law enforcement?”
She chuckled. “Don’t try to analyze me. I took this job years ago because it was all I could find and paid the bills. Credentials aren’t super important in a town that has next to zero crime like this one. On most afternoons, you’ll be here by yourself.”
“Why?”
“I also work at the clinic. They don’t have a licensed therapist, but I’ll stay today to make sure you’re settled in.”
I still had questions but kept my mouth shut as she showed me my desk and explained my work schedule. Monday through Friday from eight to four sounded too easy. If the crime here was as low as she claimed, this year would be a breeze.