steady, calm beat. A trembling breath eased from my
chest. I emptied my head of doubts and opened the stiff door of possibility.
One voice in my head hissed that this was unbelievable. Another, stronger voice whispered that what he was saying
was true. He meant Abria no harm. But did I believe him because he was beautiful and convincing? Who wouldn't want a
hottie as their protector? But he wasn't my protector, he was Abria's.
At that moment, my heart and soul were not my own. Whoever he was, he was capable of reaching inside of me and
taking them both. And I was helpless to stop him.
I took a step back hoping distance would clear my head. Again, he brought his body nearly flush with mine, staring
into my eyes.
"I told you not to be afraid." He lifted his hands, as if debating putting them on my shoulders. My insides hummed.
My gaze darted from his hands, now less than an inch from my arms to the tumultuous expression tightening his face.
A knot surfaced in his jaw. He lowered his hands back to his sides. "It's your choice."
"You never told me how you know my and Abria's name."
"Because you went off on a tangent."
"So I'm off the tangent. How?"
His eyes tit with amusement. "My.. . boss... tells me everything I need to know to do my job."
" You're getting paid for this?"
"In a matter of speaking, yes."
"Wow." My heart took a hit. "Well, that kinda takes the whole charity element and shoves it out the window now doesn't it?" I made sure my tone was laced with plenty of disappointment and disdain. Here I was, trying to buy the fantasy that he was some guardian angel and he was lining his pockets with my deflated dreams.
I headed for my car.
I'd walked away from plenty of uncomfortable situations: home and Abria, lame guys, witchy girls. A voice inside
whispered, walking is weak. Face him, head on. Get to the bottom of this or you won't know for sure.
I stopped, and did an about face. Matthias stood where I'd left him, and he was watching me. I marched back.
His hands moved in the depths of his front pockets. His lips lifted into a wider grin. "I was hoping you weren't done
with me."
A thread sizzled through my body. Whoever he was, he had spunk. I liked that. I stopped inches away from him and
looked up into his smiling face. A soft breeze lifted his toffee-colored waves, showing off flawless, smooth skin, except for a light scar above his left brow which I hadn't noticed before.
"I'm definitely not done with you," I said, planting my feet. "How did you get that scar?"
He touched the line on his face. "Long story."
"I'm already late for school. Tell me."
"Another time. Shouldn't you be on your way?"
"You said you'd answer my questions."
"And I will. Any question but that one. For now, anyway."
"Hmmm." The mystery would nag at me until I knew. "So if you're Abria's special friend, why aren't you in there watching her?"
His gaze shot over my shoulder to the school. "Because she's in good hands here."
"How do you know all this, anyway? Your boss must have done some serious investigating." It starded me that someone could know so much about us without us noticing we were being watched.
"You could say he's the chief of all chief investigators."
I was awed. "I'm still deciding whether or not I like the idea that 'big brother' is keeping tabs on my family."
"It's not like that. You've still got privacy."
"I should hope." A cold shudder slid down my spine. Had any of my impatience with Abria or my lies to my parents,
times I'd gotten drunk— anything I was ashamed of—gotten caught on tape?
"So, is there like a film crew or something?" I glanced around.
His warm laugh filled the air. "Zoe, you've got a healthy imagination. You'll have all of your questions answered to
your satisfaction in time."
"Is that your way of saying, bug off?"
"Not at all. Layer upon layer. How do you explain romantic love to a child?" His gaze penetrated my heart, sending a warm flush through my system.
"You can't,
chest. I emptied my head of doubts and opened the stiff door of possibility.
One voice in my head hissed that this was unbelievable. Another, stronger voice whispered that what he was saying
was true. He meant Abria no harm. But did I believe him because he was beautiful and convincing? Who wouldn't want a
hottie as their protector? But he wasn't my protector, he was Abria's.
At that moment, my heart and soul were not my own. Whoever he was, he was capable of reaching inside of me and
taking them both. And I was helpless to stop him.
I took a step back hoping distance would clear my head. Again, he brought his body nearly flush with mine, staring
into my eyes.
"I told you not to be afraid." He lifted his hands, as if debating putting them on my shoulders. My insides hummed.
My gaze darted from his hands, now less than an inch from my arms to the tumultuous expression tightening his face.
A knot surfaced in his jaw. He lowered his hands back to his sides. "It's your choice."
"You never told me how you know my and Abria's name."
"Because you went off on a tangent."
"So I'm off the tangent. How?"
His eyes tit with amusement. "My.. . boss... tells me everything I need to know to do my job."
" You're getting paid for this?"
"In a matter of speaking, yes."
"Wow." My heart took a hit. "Well, that kinda takes the whole charity element and shoves it out the window now doesn't it?" I made sure my tone was laced with plenty of disappointment and disdain. Here I was, trying to buy the fantasy that he was some guardian angel and he was lining his pockets with my deflated dreams.
I headed for my car.
I'd walked away from plenty of uncomfortable situations: home and Abria, lame guys, witchy girls. A voice inside
whispered, walking is weak. Face him, head on. Get to the bottom of this or you won't know for sure.
I stopped, and did an about face. Matthias stood where I'd left him, and he was watching me. I marched back.
His hands moved in the depths of his front pockets. His lips lifted into a wider grin. "I was hoping you weren't done
with me."
A thread sizzled through my body. Whoever he was, he had spunk. I liked that. I stopped inches away from him and
looked up into his smiling face. A soft breeze lifted his toffee-colored waves, showing off flawless, smooth skin, except for a light scar above his left brow which I hadn't noticed before.
"I'm definitely not done with you," I said, planting my feet. "How did you get that scar?"
He touched the line on his face. "Long story."
"I'm already late for school. Tell me."
"Another time. Shouldn't you be on your way?"
"You said you'd answer my questions."
"And I will. Any question but that one. For now, anyway."
"Hmmm." The mystery would nag at me until I knew. "So if you're Abria's special friend, why aren't you in there watching her?"
His gaze shot over my shoulder to the school. "Because she's in good hands here."
"How do you know all this, anyway? Your boss must have done some serious investigating." It starded me that someone could know so much about us without us noticing we were being watched.
"You could say he's the chief of all chief investigators."
I was awed. "I'm still deciding whether or not I like the idea that 'big brother' is keeping tabs on my family."
"It's not like that. You've still got privacy."
"I should hope." A cold shudder slid down my spine. Had any of my impatience with Abria or my lies to my parents,
times I'd gotten drunk— anything I was ashamed of—gotten caught on tape?
"So, is there like a film crew or something?" I glanced around.
His warm laugh filled the air. "Zoe, you've got a healthy imagination. You'll have all of your questions answered to
your satisfaction in time."
"Is that your way of saying, bug off?"
"Not at all. Layer upon layer. How do you explain romantic love to a child?" His gaze penetrated my heart, sending a warm flush through my system.
"You can't,
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