Cece smiled at Mal. “I am incredibly grateful for everything you and your firm have done for me, but I can’t continue to take advantage of your generosity. As long as Briggs and I are together, my magic is boosted and powerful enough for me to protect myself against another attack.”
“Are you sure about that?” Mal asked.
“Yes,” Cece said.
“You aren’t,” Briggs said. “There’s no way to know for sure until another attack.”
“There may never be another attack,” she said gently.
“You don’t know that either.” His voice was getting louder, and he told himself to chill the fuck out, but Cece just gave him a sympathetic look before squeezing his hand.
“I know you’re worried, honey, but I believe I’m strong enough to defend myself now.”
Briggs stared at Mal, wondering just how much of his desperation was obvious to him. His boss didn’t owe him anything, and there was no reason why he should keep allowing Briggs to protect Cece. Still, the thought of leaving Cece alone every day, of her being vulnerable to an attack while Briggs was off patrolling some goddamn mall or watching over a pretentious rich shifter made him want to vomit.
He’d have to quit his job. He had enough savings to live off of for a while.
Mal studied him for a few seconds, and Briggs could have fucking kissed him when he said, “We’ll continue the security detail for a while longer.”
Cece started to protest, but Mal shook his head and said, “In a few days, Briggs is heading on vacation for two weeks, and leaving the city, correct?”
“Yeah,” Briggs said. “I’ll be in Alaska for my folks’ anniversary.”
“Okay, so we’ll have a rotating shift of Tori, Hudson, and Ronin staying with Cece while you’re gone.”
“So now you’re using three of your people?” Cece said. “Mal, that’s -”
“You’ll need them,” Mal said. “With Briggs gone, your magic will diminish, right?”
Cece pressed her lips together in a thin line before making a reluctant nod. “Yes, that’s right.”
“Okay, so stopping the security detail now makes no sense. Once Briggs is back and your magic is boosted, we’ll look at making some changes. We’ll start with one or two days a week with Briggs on a different security detail.”
Cece sighed. “Mal, it’s not -”
“I wouldn’t bother arguing with him,” Willow said cheerfully. “Once my husband has made up his mind about something, it’s impossible to change it. It’s why I have a chaperone on every ghost mission I go on since meeting him. Even though they aren’t even dangerous.”
Mal growled softly, and Willow laughed before leaning over and kissing his arm. “God, I love getting you all worked up. You know our kid will probably be just like me, and then it’ll be a team effort to drive you nuts, right?”
“I’m aware, my mate,” Mal said with a small smile before he glanced at his watch. “I was going to set up a meeting with Monroe to redo the protection spell on you and Rosalie, but it sounds like you’re good for that, Briggs?”
“Yes,” he said, “and Cece did a protection spell on Rosalie last night.”
“Perfect.” Mal and Willow stood, and Willow hugged Cece.
“Don’t worry, honey, we’ll get this all sorted out.”
Cece gave her a faint smile, but Briggs could smell her anxiety and her guilt. He dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll walk them out, you stay here where it’s warmer.”
She nodded, and he followed Mal and Willow to the front door. He glanced behind him before saying, “I’m asking Cece today to go to Alaska with me, so if she says yes, you won’t need to schedule in the others for her security.”
“It’s a good idea from a security standpoint as well,” Mal said. “I doubt her family would think to look for her in a small town in Alaska. Just let me know later today if she’s going with you, and I’ll let Bishop know before he makes up the schedule for next week.”
Briggs hesitated before holding out his hand. Mal shook it as Briggs said, “Thank you, Mal. I appreciate everything you’re doing for my mate, and while I know she believes she’s strong enough to protect herself…”
“You’re not quite there yet,” Mal said.
Briggs shook his head as Willow patted his arm. “Try not to worry, Briggs. Mal, Bishop, and Kat have no problem with providing security for Cece for however long is needed.”
