Page 32 of Nothing Special X: The Last Stand

Yeah…that was the problem.

They were too smooth and camera-ready, like security bought for aesthetics instead of survival.

He didn’t feel protected and it made the cold knot of fear in his stomach grow larger.

“Are you dating one of them?”

Oh god. Xander cringed. This reeked of a damn publicity stunt. Devyn deserved better.

“Xander!” One voice cut through louder than the rest. “Your attacker is still out there! Are you sure you’re safe to be out in public?”

His heart sank as he was shoved into the backseat and the door slammed shut.

He stared out of the tinted window while the SUV pulled away from the hospital.

Was he safe?

He didn’t know anymore.

Maybe it was over, and since the person failed, they realized it wasn’t worth the risk now that security around him was tripled.

God, he hoped so.

He slid his fingers unconsciously into his pocket towards Cassidy’s card.

Just thinking of him lessened a bit of the fear inside.

Cassidy Morrison was solid and comforting in a world that wasn’t.

Strong, mature, safe…virile.

That word embarrassed him every time it crossed his mind, but it fit.

Cassidy carried himself with this intense masculine confidence that made every other security guard around look like a kid playing dress up.

Then he found himself wondering ridiculous, pointless things.

What was Cassidy really like when he wasn’t working?

How did he live? In a house…an apartment? A man cave?

Did he cook?

Did he have pets?

Family? Friends?

Does he have a nickname? Surely his family didn’t call him HOS.

Did anyone call him Cassie? He would if he was close to him.

He smiled at that before his thoughts continued.

Did Cassidy ever laugh?

Xander realized he’d never once seen him smile.

I can make him smile if he let me.