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“Fuck, is she ok?” A second later, his face is in the screen next to Connor’s. “Are you ok?” he asks me directly.
“Yeah, I’m ok,” I say with a small smile. Rizzo had been happy, though not at all surprised, that Connor and I had gotten together. I believe his exact words were “well it’s about fucking time, you idiots.” I’d already been pretty good friends with Rizz, but now that I’m officially dating his best friend, we’ve gotten closer and he acts like I’m his sister. “It was probably just my imagination running wild. I did watch Halloween the other night, so maybe I just freaked myself out with that,” I add, trying to make light, but it doesn’t quite land.
I finally make it to the security desk and I feel my cheeks heat slightly when Rand smiles at me. “Hey, I’m about to talk to Rand, I’ll call you back after I get to the car, ok?” I almost saylove you, bye, but barely stop myself. Connor looks like he would rather chew crushed glass than get off the phone with me right now, but nods in acceptance, and I quickly end the call, sliding the phone into my back pocket.
“Hey, Miss Hattie,” the older man says with an inclination of his head. Rand is a former Green Beret and head of security for the entire arena. He’s in his late fifties, but he’s in ridiculously good shape—he does triathlons for crying out loud—and you’d never guess his true age by looking at him. His hair is jet black, streaked here and there with gray, with a thick beard and mustache to match, and kind blue-gray eyes. We’ve become friends of a sort since I started—I usually bring him a coffee when he’s on the morning shift, and he brings me a slice of pie anytime his wife makes one.
“Hey, Rand.”
“What can I do for you tonight? I didn’t realize you were still here.”
“Yeah, I had a bunch of things to catch up. But, um…ugh, I feel so stupid asking this, but will you maybe walk me to my car? Or have one of the other guys on shift do it?” He goes instantly on alert, his eyes turning serious.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, really, and it’s probably nothing but,” I let out a long breath, “when I was walking out to my car a minute ago, I just felt like something was up, you know? Something felt wrong. I was on the phone with Connor and he told me to come back in and get one of y’all to walk me back out and check things…I’m sorry,” I finish, feeling so incredibly stupid.
“Hey, don’t you be sorry. Connor was right. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Let me call Luis and Lynch, hang on one second, ok?”
I nod and fiddle with the strap of my bag while he radios to the other guys. Within a few minutes, Luis and Lynch arrive, another younger guy in tow but I can’t quite remember his name. He’s new and I’ve only met him once. Something with a J maybe? Jason? Jackson?
“Justin,”—Justin! I was close—"you stay here at the guard desk. You two, with me.”
With that, the four of us head back towards the parking garage and though I’m incredibly embarrassed and feeling like I’m making a big deal out of nothing, I have to admit that I do feel much better being escorted to my car by three huge, and, in Rand’s case at least, deadly guards. I hang back with Luis while Lynch and Rand do a sweep of the area.
“I’m sorry,” I tell Luis again, “but I do appreciate y’all doing this.”
“Don’t be sorry. This is our job and we want you to feel safe. Plus, it was getting stuffy inside anyway—the cool air feels nice.” He smiles warmly at me and I grin back, nodding in thanks. Unsurprisingly, they don’t find anything amiss. They even check inside my car, under the seats and in the back, before giving me the all-clear to hop in and head out. I make a mental note to bake them some cookies tomorrow.
“Thank y’all!” I call out the window as I drive off. They all wave, but Rand has that serious look on his face, and I can tell he’s not going to let this drop. I have a feeling he’s going to pull security footage as soon as he’s able, just to check.
I still have that off feeling, but I trust the guys and know that they’ve checked everything. My car is safe. I’m safe. But I need Connor, so I use the hands free to call him back.
“Hads,” he breathes, sounding stressed. “You ok?”
“Yeah, I’m good. Rand, Luis and Lynch all came out and checked for me. Nothing amiss but…Con, can I stay at your place tonight? I know Ollie is with the grandparents, but…I don’t know, I’m just still weirded out and I don’t want to go home.” I love my place, but I feel safer at Connor’s, even when he’s not there.
His place is somewhat secluded with all his acreage on the water and surrounding forest, but it’s still within a gated community, and visitors have to be on a list at the guardhouse to get inside. Plus, he also has a huge, mechanical, iron gate at the end of his driveway that can only be opened with a security code, though he rarely ever shuts it, and a fence running the perimeter of the property.
“Of course, babe. Close the gate behind you tonight too, ok?” I should have known he’d read my mind about the gate. I swear sometimes it’s like we share a damn brain. Though he’s trying to hide it, his voice sounds strained.
“I’m sorry I’m not there, baby.” I can just imagine him running his hand through his hair in irritation and my lips curl upwards on one side.
“It’s ok. Seriously, it really was nothing, I’m just weirded out. No more scary movies for me,” I say lightly, trying to ease the mood a bit and make him feel better. It probably really was nothing, maybe just a local paparazzi photographer hiding in the shadows, trying to get a few pics of the Vipers’ sexy goalie’s new girlfriend or something stupid like that.
I hear someone calling his name in the background. “Shit, sweetheart, I gotta run, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, I promise. I’m going straight to your place now and then I’m going to do naughty things in your bed while I think about you.” I grin at his low moan.
“You’re the devil…but as they say: pics or it didn’t happen.” I can thankfully hear the smile in his voice now.
“You’re such a perv.”
“And you love it.”
“You aren’t wrong,” I say honestly. “Ok, good luck, babe. Text me after.”
We hang up and I head to his place. I’m on the permanent guest list these days and the gate guard smiles as he waves me through. I finally make it to his driveway and, for the first time, close the gate behind me. Once inside the house, I lock the door and set the alarm system, and send him a quick text to let him know that I’m there and all locked up tight.
