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“Whatever you will earn for the delivery, I will double it.”

I gritted my teeth. “I’m freelance, and this client is a regular. I can’t afford to lose them.”

He studied me, the sunlight cutting a harsh line across his high cheekbone. “Then I will escort you.”

“You don’t have to—”

Fire flashed in his eyes. “I have invested far too much time into you to leave you unprotected.”

I wrinkled my nose at his words. “Oh, gee, and here I thought you’d actually grown to like me.”

“That is an entirely different subject. What time is your delivery?”

I looked at my watch. “I have to leave in two hours.”

“Then I will return in two hours.” He disappeared in a flash of darkness.

Shaking my head, I reached into my bag for my keys. If Noel had crossed our path just a few minutes later, she would have seen him leaving. I was betting her expression would have been a little different had that been the case.

I unlocked the door and went into my apartment. I had been convincing myself that I was brave enough to go to the Bogs tonight, but with Sebastian hounding me, I might not get the chance. I hated that part of me was relieved. It wasn’t like the experience hadn’t been wonderful, and I cared deeply about both goblins, but…

I could admit, if only to myself, that dammit, I was embarrassed.

Ringo bounded toward me as soon as I was inside, his blue fur fluffed up with excitement. Sebastian might have a free pass into Emerald Heights, but Ringo was a pure blooded goblin. I was yet to muster the courage to ask King Francis to let him in too.

I crouched down for him to climb into my hands, then lifted him onto my shoulder as I walked toward my bedroom. I was looking forward to two hours of alone time before Sebastian returned.

Well, relatively alone, but I didn’t mind Ringo hanging out on my bookshelf.

Braxton popped his head out of his doorway as I passed. His hair was mussed and his eyes groggy, so I must have woken him from a nap. “Just thought youmight want to know, there’s a giant goblin waiting in your bedroom.”

I stopped mid-stride, then took a step back to face Braxton, giving him wide eyes. “How long has he been in there?”

He shrugged. “About an hour.”

I winced. “Thanks, I guess.”

He gave me a wink. “You two keep it down in there. I need my beauty sleep.”

My cheeks burned. I knew it had been a mistake to tell Braxton what happened, but I had to tellsomeone. I had hoped he could give me some advice. Instead, he had laughed his ass off and asked when I had gotten so much cooler than him.

Really, I should have known better.

As Braxton shut his door, I approached my room, my palms already sweating. I turned the knob and went inside, and there Gabriel was, leaning against the wall beside my bed with his arms crossed.

His straight black hair was loose, tucked behind his ears, and his massive arms were mostly bare in his T-shirt. The deep green fabric contrasted beautifully with his brown skin.

“I’m not used to seeing you in regular T-shirts,” I said awkwardly, lowering my shoulder so Ringo could hop onto my bed.

I couldn’t read Gabriel’s expression as he replied, “It’s easier to blend in with the humans in the city.”

I looked him up and down, all 6’6” of him. “Gabriel, I don’t think you blend inanywhere.”

His expression still unreadable, he pushed away from the wall, straightening to his full height.

“You know, you could have sat on the bed, made yourself comfortable.”

“I didn’t want to be presumptuous.”