Page 108 of I Don't Need Your Protection

“You mean like die?” I mumble.

“No! I meant mess up a chance at a relationship.”

“You made me think of something,” Carly muses. “If your parents’ you-know-whats are never found, does that mean Caleb will be your bodyguard for the rest of the school year?”

“I’ll suffer formonths?!” I cry.

“Maybe not,” Carly quickly says. “Hope for the best.”

I shake my head. “It’s doomed no matter what. If they catch them tomorrow, Caleb will pack his bags and head off for his next assignment. I’ll just be a distant memory.”

“You don’t know that,” Sophie insists.

“You think he’ll give up his job just to be with me?” I ask.

“Maybe?”

I shake my head. “I have to learn to get over him. Somehow…”

Chapter Thirty-Three

Addie

My friends and I are in Sophie and Raven’s room as we do our homework. We take breaks, watch some TV, and chat. We stay away from the topic of boys because it still hurts that Caleb brushed me away.

It’s close to nine when I leave their room. As soon as I shut the door behind me, I scan around for Caleb. But I don’t see him anywhere. He’s probably hiding behind a statue or something.

In my room, I plop down on my bed and stare at the ceiling. He’ll slip into my room in a second and then things will be awkward again. He always looks at me, but it’s hard for me to look at him. Because the second I do, I get all tingly.

My eyes narrow at the door after a few minutes pass and he doesn’t show. That’s weird. Is he guarding outside because he doesn’t want to be in the same room as me? My entire bodysags at the thought. I really wish we could go back to when things were okay between us. When we had fun hanging out together.

But would he risk hiding in the hallway and getting caught? Does he not want to be around me that badly?

As I continue sitting on my bed, I decide something doesn’t feel right. He wouldn’t abandon me alone in my room all night, would he?

Getting to my feet, I go to the door and peek out. The hallway is basically empty as everyone is doing their own thing in their rooms. I squint as I try to check behind the statues and plants, but it’s impossible to see all of them from here.

With my eyebrows pinched, I shut the door, walk to my window, and peek out. There doesn’t seem to be anything out of the ordinary.

Should I text him? Would that just annoy him?

But what if he’s in danger? Someone like Caleb wouldn’t be in danger—he’s the best at what he does. But then again, he’s only human.

Just as I reach for my phone, there’s a knock on my door. A huge sigh of relief seeps out of me. Maybe he forgot his key or something.

I open the door, expecting to see my bodyguard. My eyes go wide when I spot Hudson standing there.

He and I have barely interacted, so it’s very strange that he’s here. And after hours? What’s going on?

“You need to come with me,” he says. “Warner and Caleb got into a fight in the forest. They’re going to kill each other.”

“What?”

“Maybe not kill, but beat the living crap out of each other. I tried to stop them, but they wouldn’t listen to me. Youneedto come.”

Warner and Caleb fighting? About…me? Did Caleb confront Warner for treating me like crap?

“There’s no time,” he urges. “I really think one will beat the other one badly. They’ll listen to you.Please. Warner’s a pretty face. He’s not a fighter. I can’t lose my best friend.”