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Slipping the knife into my hoodie pocket and keeping my hand on it in case I need to use it, I make my way from the house.
“Baby D, you’re home,” Calvin says from his place on top of a ladder by the front door. There’s a tool bag on the floor and a drill in his hand.
I guess that might explain the noise.
Embarrassment washes through me.
If Seb’s intentions were to terrify me, then I’m ashamed to admit that they might be somewhat working.
“Hey, how are you doing?”
He raises a brow. “I’m not worried about me.”
“I’m fine, honestly. It’ll take more than a knife to put me down.”
Something like anger passes over his face.
“We need to sit down and discuss a few things, young lady,” he says, sounding more like my father than my actual one.
“Sure thing, big man. But I’m going to see a friend. Rain check?”
“Give me your cell,” he demands, jumping from the top of the ladder and holding his hand out, his other grabbing some device from his tool bag.
“What the hell?” I ask when he starts swiping the wand thing over my cell.
“Checking that it’s not been chipped.”
“By who?”
His eyes lift, holding mine for a beat.
“If only we knew, huh?”
“Don’t you think this is a little over the top?”
“Stella,” he sighs. “Nothing to do with your safety is over the top. Your dad is worried. I’m worried. Hell, even Damien is worried.”
“You know Damien?” I ask, although I don’t know why I’m surprised.
“For the record, your dad should have told you about all this long before now, but he was convinced he was protecting you.”
“Sure,” I mutter, snatching my phone back from its inspection. “I assume you’ve checked my room with that thing?”
“Of course. The house is secure. You don’t need to worry about it, baby D.”
My lips part to tell him that he’s very, very wrong, but for some reason the words don’t come.
“Okay, great,” I finally mumble, pushing past him. “I’ll be back later.”
“I’ve checked your car, too. Stay safe.”
I shoot a look over my shoulder. Does he really think that whoever this is would tamper with my car?
The unease races around my body, making my palms sweat and my stomach knot until it hurts. It doesn’t lift until I pull through the gates—which open the second I pull up—at Calli’s house.
Two seconds later, the front door to her house opens and she comes flying out.
The moment my feet hit the ground, she slams into me, her arms wrapping around me tightly.
