If it wasn't for the fear that lurked in her gorgeous green eyes, he would have thought she wasn't fazed by everything that had happened. But he knew better. Rylla was an expert at putting on a brave front. To most people she was bubbly and bright and full of energy, but he knew that was an act, and an act that cost her, leaving her mentally and emotionally exhausted by the end of each day. That she fought through everything she had been through with such strength made him admire her so much more.
“I need some …”
“Chocolate,” he finished her sentence, holding out a block of Cadbury’s milk chocolate.
“My favorite.” She beamed.
“I know.”
“So, what’s the bad news?” she asked, taking the chocolate and breaking off a row.
That was his perceptive girl, he loved how smart she was, and even hurt and worrying about her safety she kept her cop brain about her. “It’s not bad news,” he promised, lifting her legs and sitting beside her with her legs resting in his lap.
“But it’s not good news either.”
He chuckled. “It’s not really a matter of being good or bad.”
“Well, I can tell from the look on your face that I'm not going to like what you have to say, so just get it over with.”
The tense look on her face, and the sudden stiffness in her body, told him exactly what she was thinking. Apparently, since they had spent half the night making love, he now possessed the ability to read her mind. “It’s nothing to do with us,” he assured her. “We just need to talk about something related to your safety.”
She made a face but instantly relaxed. “I don’t want a bodyguard.”
“Not even if it’s me?” He pouted.
Rylla laughed, he loved that sound, when this killer was caught he was going to make it his mission to make her laugh every day. “I prefer to think of you as my boyfriend not my bodyguard.”
“I guess I can live with that.” He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss.
“Now stop procrastinating and tell me what's going on.”
“I was talking with Matthew earlier,” he began hesitantly, he knew Rylla was going to resist what he was going to ask her to do.
A small frown creased her forehead. “I don’t like you two talking about me behind my back and making decisions for me like I'm some sort of helpless child.”
“No one thinks you're a helpless child,” he soothed.
“Nor do I like being patronized.”
“Sorry. I'm really not trying to patronize you, but you worked this case, you know how dangerous this guy is, I'm terrified that he’s going to get his hands on you and turn you into another dead princess.” Fear had a physical hold of him, he could feel it like a snake in his belly slithering around inside him.
Rylla’s face softened. “I know you're scared, Nate, but he’s not going to get me. Sam has people watching the house, and you're here.”
She said that with such confidence that his body warmed despite the lurking cold of fear. Rylla believed in him, he didn't want to let her down. He took her hands and held them tightly. “He knows where you live. He was obviously watching the house yesterday because he knew when you went off on your own and followed you.”
“If he’s watching the house that’s great,” Rylla said. “That means someone will see him and arrest him.”
To him, knowing the Fairytale Killer could still be watching the house wasn't great. It was terrifying. He didn't want this man hunting Rylla, he wanted her far, far away from here. “This killer is determined and organized. Everything he has done so far, he has planned down to the tiniest detail. Now he’s fixated on you. He knows where you live, I think it’s safe to assume he knows you’re a cop since he said that Mila told him all about you.” At the mention of her sister her hands trembled in his. “I don’t want to see him get you. I think you should go away for a while, until this guy is caught.”
“Go away?” She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Like to a safehouse?”
“Not a safehouse per se, just a house that’s safe, and right now I don’t think this house is safe.”
“How would he get in here?”
“I don’t know, and that’s what scares me.”
“He’d have to get through two highly trained men with guns outside, then in here he’d have to get through you. I just don’t see that happening.”