Page 30 of Protect and Serve

It took too damn long for someone to answer.

He wanted to see her again.

Now.

He needed to.

But when Cody opened the door, with a somber nod, he didn’t head upstairs to Claire’s room, he led Charlie into her office instead. He waved to a chair, but Charlie didn’t want to sit. He was too antsy for that.

“How is she?” he asked. In something of a bark. “Is she all right?”

“The hospital released her, Charlie. They wouldn’t have if she weren’t fine.”

“Is she eating again?”

“A bit. Would you sit? You’re making me nervous.”

“I want to see her. I don’t want another inquisition about my feelings for your sister, goddamn it.”

“This isn’t an inquisition. I have a favor to ask you.”

“Unless it involves me seeing Claire, I’m not interested.”

He had no idea why Cody’s lips quirked. “Sit.”

Charlie checked his watch—but only to make a point—and dropped into the chair. “What?”

“Would you be willing to stay with Claire this weekend?”

He blinked. He had to have heard that wrong. There was no way Cody was asking him to spend the weekend with his sister. Unless it was opposite day and no one had told him. “What?”

“Cade and I have to be out of town and Lisa is going to visit her sister and help with the new baby. I don’t want her to be alone. And you… Well, hell. I know you’ll protect her.”

“What do you mean? Protect her?”

Cody sighed heavily and scrubbed his face. “When we got home from the hospital, she was convinced someone had been in her room. It couldn’t have been any of us, because we were with her at the hospital.”

“Someone was in her room?”

“Yeah.”

A beast, deep within, lifted its head and howled. “Who was it?”

“I have no clue. And I didn’t notice anything different. There was no sign of a break-in, but Claire is convinced of it.” Cody shrugged. “It’s probably overreaction, but I would feel better—we all would—if someone was here with her. This thing really shook her up.”

Damn it all. He hated that she was feeling vulnerable.

“Why me?”

“Are you saying no?”

Not hardly. “I’m just wondering why you’re asking me. Me of all people.”

He lifted his shoulder. “She likes you.”

“She likes everyone.”

Cody quirked a brow. “Does she?”