Page 36 of Untouchable

The words were blunt, almost rude, but she realized they were also almost a compliment. He must have a certain amount of respect for her if he expected her to make rational choices.

She wasn’t here to be sensible though. At all. “It’s not your problem, Caleb. Stop pushing.”

“I’m not going to stop pushing until you tell me what I want to know.”

In a way, his matter-of-fact stubbornness right now was just as outrageously entitled as grabbing her phone earlier. And, without the teasing veneer, it was even more likely to work.

She made a frustrated noise as if in resignation, and rubbed her face briefly with both hands. “Okay, fine. I got involved with the wrong guy. He won’t take no for an answer.”

“Is this the guy who texted in the park, who wouldn’t take no for an answer?”

She thought about using the text he’d seen her receive from Jesse to solidify the lie, but she was afraid her expression back then hadn’t been quite right to pull that off now. “No. That was just a random guy. This other guy is… different.”

“He’s turned dangerous.”

“Yeah.”

“Who is he?”

“I’m not going to tell you that.”

“Why—”

“Because I don’t want you involved. I’m not coming to you for help. I told you that before. I don’t want you dragged in. Things got out of control. I can get it together again though.”

“How exactly?” He looked like he believed her. Not particularly sympathetic but curious, like there was a puzzle to solve. “Have you gone to the police?”

“I did at the beginning, but it just made things worse.”

“But that was a direct attack on Sunday night. The police would have to?—”

“No police. He’s… he’s connected, and I can’t trust the police.” She’d developed a whole backstory where she could feed him pieces of information that wouldn’t get him anywhere but would give the impression of her being in real danger. She saw Caleb’s expression change as he processed the words.

“Connected.”

“Yeah.”

“You really did get involved with the wrong guy,” he murmured.

Talk about a hypocritical asshole. What right did he have to judge anyone else’s connections to organized crime?

“Tell me about it.” That was all she could tell him right now. Any more would give him too much to work with, and she needed to string him along for at least a couple of weeks.

He stood in front of her, absently rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, thinking through what she’d told him.

“So you see why I don’t want anyone else dragged into this.”

“Sure, but I also see why you need my help.” He’d evidently made up his mind. “When you go back to your apartment, what’s going to stop him from coming after you again?”

She looked away from him and gave a helpless little shrug, hoped it was convincing.

“So stay here. For a while. My security is top of the line. You’ll be safer here than anywhere else.”

It was exactly what she’d been hoping to hear.

“I can’t stay here indefinitely, Caleb.”

“Why not? It won’t be forever. Just until you can figure out something to do.” His tone was light, persuasive, and there was that glint of clever humor in his eyes again.