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"Nice way to live, is it? Constantly on edge?"
He narrowed his eyes. "I make a difference."
"I know." She grimaced. "Sorry. Just tense. I'll be fine."
"Sleep in my guest bedroom."
Her eyes widened. "Absolutely not."
"I'll sleep in yours."
She started laughing. "Look, Mr. Jellyfish, I like my personal space. I'm also very capable of taking care of myself. No one is going to break in."
He shifted restlessly. "I can't let you stay here if it's not safe."
Her smile faded. "You don't get to tell me what to do. I pay rent on this place."
"I don't care?—"
"Declan." Piper's voice was softer now. "You can't keep people you care about locked in prisons to keep them safe. You have to let go."
His eyes narrowed. "My wife died because I couldn’t protect her."
"She died because she was a cop who made a choice to live. Would she have wanted you to lock her in a little safe room so she couldn’t get hurt, but also couldn’t go out and do what she loved?"
Declan stared at her. "You don't know anything about Diana."
"I don't. It was just a question. You know the answer, not me."
Tension coiled through him. "Fine. Stay here."
Her eyes were understanding. "I still have a toaster," she said. "I'll sleep with it under my pillow."
He wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t find the laughter. "It's not a joke."
Piper set the computer aside, rose to her feet, and walked over. She opened her front door and leaned against it. "Good night, Declan. Sleep well."
He didn't move. "Piper?—"
"Good night," she said firmly.
He swore under his breath, but finally turned and walked out.
She shut the door behind him, then started laughing when it swung back open again. He looked back and stopped.
"I'll be fine." Would she? Now that she realized the door wouldn't even stay closed, she sounded a little more unsure, but now it was too late for her to back down. She grabbed a sweatshirt, tied it around the knob, then pulled the door shut. She then tied the other end of the sweatshirt around a table leg.
Door shut.
Declan stood outside, watching her through the window. "That's not secure."
She looked over at him, then walked over and opened the window, grinning at him. "I'll put everything important in my bedroom and lock the door."
"I would like to sleep on your couch until it's fixed."
Her face softened, and she leaned toward him, resting her forehead against the screen. "Your alpha male need to protect me is very sweet, but I don't want it. I don't want a man who will break open my front door."
"Even if he thinks you're dead?"
