I nod to the ice pack. “What happened?”
“Nico was too excited about catching me.” She gives him a closed-mouth smile. “Pushed me into a wall. Got all growly too. Not going to lie, turned me on.”
She winks at me and takes a sip of coffee. She’s trying to get under my skin, but that’s not how to do it.
Nico shrugs. “Just be glad I dropped the pinata stick.”
When I hand Luke his coffee, he draws me down to sit with him on the chair. Not on his lap, between his legs surrounded and protected by him.
Sidney doesn’t react, just sips her coffee.
“How did you know my mom was working?” I press my thigh against Luke’s, drawing from his warmth and strength. Mom got called in. She wasn’t supposed to work.
She shrugs. “Everyone knows someone who works at the hospital. It isn’t that hard to find out schedules. Especially when my mother is on the board.”
Okay, so Luke’s dad and Sidney’s mom are on the board at the hospital. Tanner also said he knew someone who worked at the hospital, but I forget who.
“It’s not often board members know staffing schedules.” Luke rests his hand in the center of my back. Warmth radiates through me from his touch.
“When there’s a staffing shortage because people are out sick, they do.” Sidney sets the cup down. “Believe me or not. I’m not going to stress over it.”
She leans back in her chair and temples her hands together with her elbow resting on the arms of the chair. She’s far too cocky for someone who got caught breaking and entering.
“How did you know someone else wouldn’t be here?” I sip my coffee.
“Your mom wasn’t home. I wasn’t planning on attacking you.” She shrugs. “I just wanted to have you wary enough to ask for more help. Luke’s never stayed the night at my place.”
His fingers run down my spine and a little shiver works through me.
“What was the plan?” Luke strokes his fingers in a circle at the base of my spine. “Why break into Harper’s house?”
“Scare her. Make her call you guys. You guys realize you can’t just stay at her house and need female help. Voila. Female help.” She taps her foot in the air. “I didn’t know her mommy allowed sleepovers.”
Yeah, not going to get into that with her. “What makes you think they’d call you? We’re not friends.”
She clutches her hand to her chest. “You wound me, Harper.”
I roll my eyes. I don’t think that’s the only reason she was here.
“How did you get past the security system?” Jack leans in. “You don’t have those skills.”
“You’d be amazed what a guy would do for a blow job.” She leans forward and grabs her coffee cup. When the cup touches her lips, she smirks at Jack. “Or maybe you would know.”
I don’t like this. She’s still too cocky and not scared. Fuck, she probably knows someone on the force or in the court system. Even if we call the police, she won’t get in trouble.
“All the scares. Those yours too?” Luke leans forward.
I resist the urge to turn to look at him, keeping my gaze on Sidney’s.
“Nope.” She cracks her knuckles. “First time. Gotta admit, it was kind of a rush. But ultimately too much work for so little reward. If Zach really is after your prized pet, then having us as allies instead of frenemies would be beneficial to you and your pet. You might want to think about that.”
“Why did you really come here tonight, Sid?” Luke’s voice is almost kind and coaxing, but the hard edge doesn’t help.
She smirks and glances at her smart watch. “Someone needed to distract you from the real game.”
CHAPTER 27
The Night Combat
