Charmed

“Want to tell me about the hottie chasing you down at the parade?” I turn at Fredrik’s voice. He stands there with his hands on his hips, his perfect eyebrows raised waiting for me to answer.

“No?”

“Spill.” He grabs me, locking our arms together as he walks back down the hallway. I know we’re headed for the gym. It’s likely full of kids playing. I know he showed up early tonight before his shift to grill me on this. Otherwise he’d still be at the parade making out with his new flavor of the week. He always has a new guy on his arm. I don’t even try to keep up anymore.

I glance back at the basement door, debating if I should tell Fredrik about what happened, but I decide not to. He’s smiling right now. That hasn’t been common lately with his grandma being sick. She moved into his little apartment with him so he could help her more. She isn’t getting better, though. I don’t want to kill his happy mood because I know he’ll worry and push for me to move in with him. He didn’t have room for anyone extra before he even had his grandma move in. Now he really doesn’t. His apartment is only a small studio.

“Want to spill about that kiss?” I elbow him. It wasn’t a kiss-kiss. Just a peck on the lips really.

“Wanted to see if the man chasing you would get jelly.” He wiggles his eyebrows but doesn’t continue.

I peek back over at him. “Did he?” I ask. Crap. I want to snatch my words back, knowing I just gave myself up.

“Oh. So now who wants information,” he teases me. I elbow him again. He fakes that it hurts.

I roll my eyes. “Just tell me,” I huff out.

“Super jealous.”

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. “All right, I gave up the information, now you give us some.”

When we make it to the gym we both sit down on the beaches. A group of kids are playing basketball. They wave at us. I drop my backpack down onto the ground before telling him the whole story.

“So I’m not sure why he’d be jealous. He likely wants to throw me in jail or something.”

“You threw paint on Warren Shade?” Shock is written all over Fredrik’s face. I bite my lip and nod. He bursts into laughter.

“Hush.” I smack his arm.

“It doesn’t matter. Not like he’ll find me anyway.”

“Oh, he’ll find you,” Fredrik finally says when he gets his laughter under control.

I shake my head. “He has no idea who I am.”

“A man like Warren Shade can find anything he wants to find.”

I drop my head into my hands in despair knowing he’s likely right. But at the moment Warren Shade is the least of my worries. I don’t even know where I’m going to sleep tonight. There is no way I’m ever sleeping in that basement again.

“Don’t worry. I don’t think he’s looking to throw you in jail.” I glance over at Fredrik who is still smiling. “I think he might throw you up against a wall and have his way with you, though.”

My face warms. “You’re crazy. I’m sure a man like Warren Shade has his pick of women. He doesn’t need to go chasing after one.”

“We’ll see,” Fredrik says before he stands and exits the gym.

Chapter Four

Warren

I run my hands through my hair as I hit the refresh again on my emails. I hear a chuckle and look up to see Andrew stretched out in the chair in front of my desk. I give him a hard look that does nothing. He’s finding my distress amusing. Probably because I’m always calm and collected, even if the world is falling down around me.

I’ve been doing this since I got a quick shower and changed my clothes. I should have had the cop pull the guy off the float and gotten his information right there on the spot. Now I’m regretting my decision.

“Fuck this,” I mutter, going for my cell phone. I check everywhere but can’t find it. Andrew only laughs harder before tossing my phone onto my desk. I hadn’t even realized it was missing until now.

“You left it in the car,” he tells me through a laugh. I stare at him, shocked for a moment that I did that. I run my hand down my face. I met this girl not even an hour ago and she has me all over the place. For my own sanity I need to find her now. I take a breath, calming myself before I go off the deep end.

My phone rings in my hand. I look down to see it’s the mayor. I should have known this is why I haven’t got an email yet.

“An email would have been fine,” I say when I answer the phone. I try to keep the snap from my voice. Sean still has the information I need. But I also have money that he himself needs.