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“Balen. It’s different.”
He shrugged. “I’m different. Relentless too. You might as well tell me because I won’t give up.”
Yeah, I got that vibe from him already.
“I can’t tell you what you want to know.”
He dropped his arms and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the mattress. “Are you being threatened?”
Shit. Was it that obvious? If I said too much, what would happen to my best friend? I still didn’t know where she was or what happened after I left her at that party. Guilt was eating me up inside. I should have stayed with her. If she wasn’t alone, whoever took her wouldn’t have gotten away with it so easily.
“I can’t,” I whispered, agony clawing up my throat and lodging inside.
“Blair.”
I wouldn’t look at him. Instead, I stared at the thin white blanket covering my bed. Why were hospital blankets always white? Almost everyone admitted leaked fluids because of injury or surgery. It didn’t make sense.
“I can protect you, Blair.”
“No. You can’t.” I knew that now. Nobody could. But that wouldn’t stop me from trying to find Bells.
“If you would give me a chance,” Creature began.
“I’m sorry, but I need to ask you to leave.”
He blinked. His body went rigid for a few heartbeats before his shoulders relaxed. “If you change your mind, reach out. I’ll leave you with my number.” Creature ripped off a piece of paper towel from the dispenser by my sink, pulled a pen out of a pocket inside his leather vest, and jotted down his information. “I only left my road name and number. Nothing that could get you into trouble.”
“Okay.”
His fingers wrapped around mine and placed the paper in my palm. “Enter it into your phone before anyone finds it. I’m serious, Blair.” Those hypnotic eyes of his held me prisoner. “If you get in trouble, I won’t hesitate to help.”
And get killed in the process.
“I’ll think about it.”
He frowned. “I can’t tell if you’re scared or determined. Both are dangerous. Whatever they’ve got or need, it’s not worth your life.”
I didn’t react to his words. “Creature. Please.”
He sighed. “I’m going. Just so you know, I plan to be at Toxic Tonic every night until I see you again. I’ll be at the bar if you want to meet me.”
He was tenacious. I’d give him that.
“We’ll see.”
With a nod, he walked to the door, turning around once before he left. “Just an extra free tidbit. I’m also a bounty hunter and private investigator. So if you need that sort of help, I’m your guy.”
My eyes widened. No shit?
“I think you might be seeing me soon,” I admitted.
“I thought so, Firecracker. Get some rest.”
Firecracker. He called me that twice now.
It wasn’t just his eyes that I found attractive and hypnotic. It was the way he held himself—the confidence and intelligence, the need to protect, and his willingness to fight off anyone who tried to hurt me, even when I was a stranger.
Fatigue pressed in as I closed my eyes and rested against the pillows. All night, I dreamed of Balen “Creature” Hobbs. He invaded my mind, held out his hand, and rescued me from every monster. When my eyes opened, and dawn spilled over the horizon in a golden shimmer, I wondered if the hero who showed up in my life just when I needed him was a gift from my dead parents.
