Page 101 of An Arrangement of Love

“Stay on topic!” he yelled. I jumped back at the volume of his voice. Something slammed as if he’d hit it. “Then I’ll never come back with this behavior.”

I banged on the door. “Chase?”

“I’m not acting different,” he said.

Minutes passed. He shouted out sentences I didn’t get the context of. Then finally silence came.

The door clicked.

Chase walked out.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

He didn’t look at me as he stomped into the room. His voice was thick with rage and concern. “I’m adding two extra guards to you, but everything is okay.”

“Who was that?”

“No one.” He put his phone in his back pocket and returned to the table. “Don’t think about this again. It was someone’s anger, not a serious threat.”

“Then why two more guards?”

“I like to have you protected.”

“But you also think I’m in danger and that the email was a serious threat.”

“No.”

“You’re full of it.” I placed my hands on my hips. “Chase, I’m not going to—”

He got up from his seat, rushed to me, and grabbed my arms. “You run, and I’ll—”

“I’m not running.” I tried to shove him away.

He captured my lips and dipped his tongue in my mouth.

I twisted my face away from him.

“Do you think I can’t protect you?” He nibbled the curve of my neck.

“I shouldn’t need you to protect me.”

“You don’t.”

“Then why more guards?”

He blew out an exasperated breath. “Look. Three girls have died before. It’s a sad fact that I’m not comfortable with. Any little thing, whether it’s a big or small threat, I’m going to take seriously.”

I formed my lips into a grim line. “So you think I’m in some sort of danger because of the schedule?”

“No. I think one of them is mad that you messed up their dates. They want to scare you, but just in case I’m wrong, you’ll have four guards just for my and your sanity.”

Tension hardened around my shoulders. “Who did you just call?”

He averted his eyes. “Dawn. She was the most upset by the trip and all the running after you.”

“You think she emailed me that?”

“She tends to do irrational things when she feels our relationship is threatened.”

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