Guard (The Underground Book 3) (33 page)

He spun around and smiled. “Made you some tea with sugar. I figured you liked tea since I found several varieties in your pantry. And even if you don’t normally use sugar, you need the calories right now.” He took a few strides to round the kitchen table and headed for the couch. As he set the mug on the end table next to the couch, he spoke again. “Come over here. I’ll find you a blanket. You’re still shaking.”

She didn’t speak as she followed his orders. He spoke as if everything he said wasn’t really up for debate. And she wasn’t in the right frame of mind to argue—plus he was right—so she settled in the corner of the couch with her legs crisscrossed under her and reached for the tea.

It smelled fantastic. Cinnamon and honey. The first sip warmed her.

Nikolav stepped back into the attached kitchen area and returned with a sheath of saltines. “Here. Try to eat a few of these. Slowly. Your stomach might not be settled yet.” More demands.

She wanted to giggle at his high-handedness. But she didn’t have the energy for that, either.

Instead, she took the crackers from him and reached into the package to extract one. The first small bite went down easily, and she finished the first cracker in moments.

“Yeah?” He lifted one eyebrow.

“Mmm. Think I’ll live. Thanks so much for coming over. I don’t think it was completely necessary, but it was kind of Mikhail to send you. I’m sure I’ll manage from here. You don’t need to give up any more of your day.”

There
.

Or not
.

He smiled and lowered himself onto the couch next to her. “Mikhail’s a good guy.”

That’s all he had to say?

She drank several more sips of tea and ate three more crackers before feeling slightly more human and setting them both aside. “Really. I’m fine. You can go.” She didn’t know this guy. Hell, she hardly knew his friend, Mikhail. But she’d spent the entire evening with Mikhail, and he’d been nothing but amazing. Plus, Haley had been seeing the man for weeks.

Belinda tried to shake free of any nervousness concerning Nikolav. If Mikhail sent him to her rescue, surely he was a good guy.

He stood, sending relief down her spine, though it was mixed with a twinge of sorrow. Part of her would like him to stay forever just so she could continue to ogle his sexy frame.

But he surprised her again by ignoring her statement and sending the conversation in a totally different direction. “Is your brush in the bathroom?”

“What?” She lifted her gaze to meet his. Dark. Brooding. With his slight frown and pale skin, he reminded her of a vampire. “Yes?” She stated that word as if it was a question.

Nikolav stepped around her and left the room. He returned seconds later carrying her brush and resumed his spot on the couch, too close to her, his body angled toward hers. “Turn around.”

What the hell?

He nodded toward the end table, and she found herself once again obeying his strange command. With gentle hands, he unwrapped the towel from her head and set it on the coffee table. Seconds later he began to work the knots out of her tangled hair.

She let her eyes close and sighed, her hands fisted together in her lap. A gorgeous gigantic man/vampire was brushing her hair?

For a second, she assumed she must have died, and this was heaven. But if that were the case, surely she wouldn’t be so weak and queasy.

Words escaped her. What should she say to a man who got out of bed before the sun, came over to a stranger’s apartment, held her hair while she puked, and brushed out her tangles after she bathed?
Yes, I’ll marry you?

When he was satisfied with his work, he set the brush aside but continued to run his fingers through her thick waves. “Your hair is amazing.”

“Thanks.” She awkwardly broke his touch by turning to face him.

He smiled at her. “To answer your question, no, I’m not leaving.”

“What? Why?” She tensed. This situation was strange. She trusted her friend Haley, and by default her boyfriend, but still…

“I have no idea what Mikhail was thinking when he thought it was a good idea for you to come over to Haley’s last night, but you’re not safe now.” His eyes narrowed.

“Why?”

“Did Haley tell you what she’s been through?”

“Yes. What does that have to do with me?”

“Nothing, until you associated yourself with her. Now, I trust no one. Anyone could have seen you come and go from that apartment. And if there had been any doubt, it was eliminated when the FBI agent drove you home. That alone would raise eyebrows.”

“From whom? It was the middle of the night.”

“From anyone stationed outside Haley’s apartment watching for an opening. As far as I’m concerned, you became that opening. Haley isn’t safe. Which means you’re now a target.”

“Why would anyone care about me? I’m just a journalist for
Chicago Multimedia
.”

His eyes widened. “You’re a journalist?”

“Yes. So?”

“Shit.” He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling for a moment. “Please tell me you aren’t working this story.”

“As a matter of fact, I am. And it’s my biggest break yet.” She sat up taller, holding her head high.

Nikolav must not have liked her stance, however, because he took her chin between his fingers and tipped her head lower. “Do you have a death wish?”

“Apparently, or I wouldn’t have eaten whatever got me so sick last night.” That made no sense, but she needed a comeback, and those were the first words to slip out.

Nikolav wasn’t amused. “Do you realize how many people have been killed lately?”

“I don’t know the exact numbers, but I do know homeless people are disappearing from the streets of Chicago and showing up dead in the dump. That’s why my boss assigned me this story.”

“Your boss told you to investigate this?”

“Of course.” She straightened her spine, jerking her chin out of his hand.

“Babe, this is not a job for a woman. And right now it’s not a job for anyone.”

“I’m not your
babe
. And I’ll have you know I’m very good at my job.”

He grinned at her defiance. “Never doubted how good you are at your job,
babe
. But this particular story has murder written all over it.

“You may think you’re investigating a simple case of missing people, but Haley herself was abducted and held against her will for two weeks. She was drugged. Trust me when I say you’re not immune to a similar fate. And you might not come out the other end as lucky as Haley.”

Belinda shuddered, but she still held her head high. “I’m not backing down from this. I’m going to start interviewing people tomorrow evening. Haley will help me.”

He emitted a sharp chuckle. “Haley? You think Mikhail’s going to permit Haley to wander the streets at night in search of homeless people and answers? You must be out of your mind.”

“We’ll see.”