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“Zavier.” I wrap my arms around him and try to keep from crumbling under the guilt I feel at causing him distress. “It’sgoing to be okay. Nothing’s going to happen. You’ll be right next door if anything goes awry, and I trust you to take care of meifthat’s the case.” He’s borderline shaking underneath me and I continue my ministrations until he calms down. “I just need to be in my own room. It’ll make me feel better to be around my own things.”

His brows knit. “Do you ... not feel safe ... withme?” he mumbles, voice cracking on the last word and breaking my heart all over again.

“No!” I take a breath, softening my tone. “I mean no, that’s not it at all.” I fumble over my words to explain myself. “You’re not…” I bite my lip. “I know you’d never hurt me, and I do feel safe with you, it’s just been a lot lately. I know I’d feel better in my own space.”

It truly has nothing to do with not feeling safe with Zavier and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was tempted to continue to live together in our little bubble. It’s been … nice. Nicer than I expected, that’s for sure. He can be a bit much at times, but shockingly I think I love that about him.

He thought I didn’t notice, but one night when I woke up needing to pee, I saw his sleeping form next to me in the bed. Long lashes fluttered lightly against his cheeks while he dreamed about something.

Since I no longer resided next to him his hand tried to find me and resulted in him grabbing my pillow and burying his face in it. A sweet smile pulled at his lips then and I felt myself falling for him that much more. Sneaking in every night but being gone by morning was his routine and I thought it was cute, but didn’t call him out on it.

I needed to have something for myself again with the chaos my life had wrought recently. Having Zavier next door should be safe enough, at least for the next few weeks while I take time for myself to decompress. I still don’t have enough evidence tobe any step closer to finding the murderer wreaking havoc in Chicago and I hope being back in my apartment will allow me to think clearer and settle my mind when it comes to the case.

“Come on, you can help me get my stuff together.” I stroke my finger over his eyebrows, and he lets out a disgruntled sound but heaves his body up to follow my lead.

Over the next hour we clean the apartment and get my things together. Truth be told, I hadn’t brought much over to Zavier’s, just the essentials. With our arms full we head over to my apartment and unlock it. The door was fixed right after the break-in, but I haven’t stepped back inside until the moment. Everything is returned to its rightful place, and I can’t help but eye the man at my side, knowing he has to be the one responsible.

He gives me a smile. “I couldn’t leave it a mess for you.”

Unshed tears burn my eyes. “Thank you.” I lean up on my tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek.

“I’m going to put this down,” he says, nodding to the box in his hands.

Zavier plops the box filled with miscellaneous clothes and toiletries on my bed. Stopping, he zeroes in on something at the bottom of the box. Gasping he pulls out a pair lacy black underwear I found him hoarding in his dresser.

“You stole these!” He holds the lacy panties to his chest like they’re something precious.

“That’s what I should be saying to you, mister.” He pockets them once again but I roll my eyes and let it go.

We walk over to Zav’s one more time and I do a quick scan. It’s not like it’s hard to pop back over if I forgot something but I want to make sure I did as well as I could grabbing stuff. The last thing is Midnight who’s currently pouting in the corner of the couch like he knows what’s going on.

“Hey there, grumpy kitty.” I slowly approach with a hand outstretched to show I come in peace. “We gotta go back home. Will you be nice for once and let me grab you?” So far so good, I reach out to grab him and he takes a swipe at me. “You little shit.”

“It’s because he knows you both belong with me.” Zavier stands behind me, leaning against the wall looking like he just walked out of a GQ shoot. Ankles crossed he examines his nails and sunlight streaming in glints off the thin silver chain around his neck. His hair is perfectly in place and his glasses rest on his nose adorably. I’m probably a sweaty mess from cleaning and packing, yet he looks like he just stepped off a runway.

“Let the record show,” he begins, smirk growing on his lips since I can’t seem to stop checking him out. “I’m against this. I think we need to stick together.”

He waits for me to give him an invitation, but I don’t. I’ve spent so much time with him lately and I just … I need a breather to sort through my thoughts—to see how I feel when he’s not right beside me.

“Grab the cat, please.” I gesture toward the black void that wants nothing more than to suck me into endless darkness.

“I think we need a schedule.” He doesn’t make any move to grab Midnight.

“Schedule?” I question with a hand on my hip.

“Childcare schedule. You get him one day and then I get him the next.” He finally makes eye contact with me and shrugs. “Or better yet, you both stay here and that way we all get what we want.” A flash of white teeth showcases his smirk of defiance.

“Fine. You can have him today since he’s in a shit mood,” I relent, not wanting to argue with Zavier.

I stroll past him and back over to my apartment. His footsteps echo behind me and once we’re standing in my kitchen there’s a stretch of silence.

Shifting from foot to foot I flatten my lips together. Not sure what to say, I glance at him, and he looks to be in the same position. Two socially awkward beings, one immortal and one not.

“This isn’t … I’m not trying to make things difficult,” I tell him.

“I want to take care you,” Zavier’s honey smooth voice replies. His white sneakers appear in my line of sight as he steps chest to chest with me. Looking up, he grabs my chin between his fingers and pulls me closer. “Listen here, mate, if I had my way your ass would be over my shoulder, and I’d lock you in my bedroom until I convinced your mind and body exactly who you belong to.” He leans up to my ear and whispers. “I’d wring so much pleasure out of you you’d be boneless, and orgasm drunk for days. Maybe I’d sneak a bite in here or there but not until you were writhing beneath me and screaming my name would I claim you.”

Holy. Shit.