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He really shouldn’t touch her the way he had. Tasting her blood in the kiss would explain why it went so far.

It wouldn’t happen again.

For her sake, it wouldn’t happen again.

Pushing open the bathroom door after composing himself, he found Charlotte standing in the middle of the kitchen, as pale as the white card she held in her hand.

His hackles rose at once.

Striding toward her, he took the card from her trembling fingers. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his chest while he lifted the card to read over her head.

I know what you saw.

And nothing is going to save you from the truth. Not even your live-in boyfriend. He can’t keep you from me.

You can’t run anymore, Cherry.

Play house while you can.

I’m coming for you soon.

Aiden’s chest vibrated with the inhuman growl he was suppressing. He didn’t need her to hear it. He hoped she mistook the vibration as a shudder of anger, because he felt a lot of that emotion.

With his senses on alert from the taste of her blood, his body primed for more than it received, and now a direct threat to the girl in his arms, he didn’t know where to steer the overwhelming feelings bubbling inside.

“I won’t let him touch you,” he whispered, his lips brushing her curls. He knew she couldn’t feel it—he didn’t want her to—but it made him feel better.

She tilted her head to look up at him. “Should we call the police?”

In any other case he would say yes, but nothing would come of it. The lieutenant had told them both that unless any solid leads presented themselves, all they could do was document it.

“No. But I’ll take it down to the station while you’re in classes tomorrow so they can file it with the rest of the evidence.”

Her arms looped around his waist, and her small hands bunched in the back of his shirt. The gentle embrace calmed him.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For dealing with it. You don’t have to, but you’re doing it, anyway.” She looked down. “It means a lot.”

His eyes moved to the note card again. “What did you see?”

“Hmm?” She looked up at his face.

“It says, ‘I know what you saw.’ What did you see?”

Charlotte pulled away from his hold, and he let her. “It’s nothing,” she said, walking across the room to pick up her sandals.

He held up the card. “It has to mean something if it’s on this. This guy wouldn’t just put anything on here. It has to mean something to you.”

Her steps quickened as she crossed the living room, passing him in the kitchen, before disappearing into the bedroom.

He followed her. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Opening the closet, she set her sandals alongside the row of shoes on the floor. “You’ll think I’m crazy.”

He gave her a look he hoped conveyed how unimpressed he felt that she’d think he could ever see her that way.