Ford stepped back and set his hands on his hips. I could tell his mind was working, trying to assess the situation, figure out whatever it was skilled SEAL operatives worked through.
There was no enemy here, at least not any longer. No threat or danger.
“After you pick up, let us know if you find anything else missing,” Megan said. “I’m sure your dad can fix the lock—”
“I’ll fix the lock,” Ford cut in.
My parents were known to tackle things like this. Installing new locks, making replacement keys.
But Ford?
“And install a security system,” he added. “But she’s not staying here.”
My eyes widened. “This is my house. I’m staying—”
“With me,” he finished.
I set my hands on my hips and squared off with him. “Uh uh. Ford, you can’t boss—”
I saw Megan hide a smile. She was probably assuming far more was going on between me and Ford than was the case. Especially since he came in with my clothes and underwear in plain sight.
“Once your parents hear about this, you’re going to be in your old bedroom before sundown,” Ford said. “I doubt they’ll let you back here to live by yourself until not only new locks are put on, but their nerves are under control. That could be weeks.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he was right. He knew my parents as well as I did. Lord knew, they’d been like replacement parents to him since he didn’t have his own. My parents would panic.
“You’ll stay with me where it’s fucking safe, and I can keep an eye on you.”
“An eye on me?” I moved to stand right in front of him, tipping my head back to give him every bit of defiance. “An eye on me? This alpha protective thing you’ve got going on is great and all, but I can take care of myself. I wasn’t even here. I was up at Messer Lake, miles away.”
Ford shook his head. “Yeah, telling me you were out in the wilderness alone isn’t a comfort, Blue. I need to know you’re safe.”
My heart flip-flopped again at his use of his pet name for me.
“I wasn’t alone.”
“You were the other day.”
“I was out hiking. For fun,” I countered.
“When did you two start dating?” Dan asked.
Ford and I turned our heads to stare at him.
“What?” Ford asked.
“We’re not dating,” I said at the same time.
Dan laughed. “Right. Okay, so we’ll just leave you guys to this,” he said. “Stop by the station tomorrow to sign some papers, okay, Indigo?”
I mustered a smile for him and Megan. “Thanks for being here and checking it out. I’ll call my dad and get the new door lock.”
They eyed us, probably wondering if they’d be back for a domestic dispute call, then left, pulling the front door closed as best as they could on the way.
“It’s your parents or me until we know what’s going on. Why someone broke in. Until then, it’s not smart to be here. The door doesn’t close well.” He stepped close and used his size to loom. The fucker. “They might come back, Indi.”
Come back? They didn’t take anything the first time, so why would they do that?
Still, I didn’t like the idea of being here when… if that happened. I wasn’t sure if it was lucky I hadn’t been home.
“I’ll sleep in my tent.”
“You’d rather sleep in a fucking tent than stay with me?”
I pursed my lips. “Ford, I’m not staying with you. And Kennedy and the other guys. And your grandmother.”
“Fine.” He glanced around. “Then I’m staying here with you.”
“We’re not even friends.”
For some reason, Ford flinched at that, and some of my resentment toward him fell away. Maybe he’d avoided us since he’d been back for the same reason my parents avoided him. It was too painful to be around people who reminded us of Buck.
“We’re family, Indi.”
I put my hands on my hips. “No, we’re not. And I don’t need a replacement big brother, so stop acting like one.”
He stared at me for a beat. “My last promise to Buck was to keep you safe. Don’t make it hard for me to keep that promise.” His voice was still deep and rough, but I heard pain in it.
That knocked the breath out of me.
“Buck asked you to look after me?” Sadness enveloped me, thinking of my overprotective, bossy older brother. I was…deeply touched. To think he’d cared that much about me to have had me on his mind even overseas. My eyes stung.
“My place or I stay here.”
“Fine. Here.”
I didn’t want to go back to my parents’ house, and Ford was right. Once they heard about this and saw the mess that had been made, they’d take me home, feed me meatloaf and mashed potatoes, wrap me in bubble wrap and lock me in my room. I didn’t want to go with Ford either. But I also didn’t want to stay without locks that worked. Having Ford here would ensure my safety.