We run every red light on the way back to our apartment complex.

Part of me wonders why we even bother. It seems like a distant part of my life now. It’s not like there is anything in there from my old life that I want to salvage, except maybe my college course notes and a few books.

For real, though. Those college books are friggin’ expensive.

When we arrive, we expect to find both our apartments ransacked. It’s even more creepy, somehow, that nothing seems out of the ordinary.

His spartan studio is tidy.

“Looks like you didn’t get robbed,” I offer, but Lars’s brows are knitted together in worry.

“The floor has been vacuumed,” he mumbles, wandering over to his desk. He shines a pen light on his computer. “Everything is too clean. Somebody’s been in my stuff and then wiped the whole place down. I don’t like this.”

I shrug. “But why would they be in here? It’s not like you keep evidence in your apartment.”

He looks at me. “Unless he’s looking for something to incriminate me. Something that might make me look unethical at trial.”

I nod. “Oh, you mean like searching the Wham Bam without a warrant, based on planting surveillance on me without my consent?”

He waves me off. “They can try, but everything about this case is dripping with probable cause.”

He speed dials somebody at the department.

While they carry on their conversation, I decide to go check my place.

“Wait for me,” he warns, interrupting his phone call. But I’m itching to see what’s been done to my place by Slate’s thugs.

My key goes in the lock and I hear Lars barreling toward me.

As soon as I push the door open, a hand reaches around and yanks me inside by the wrist.

My stomach leaps into my throat. Not again.

But I’m not half as afraid as I was the last time Slate had me pinned from behind.

I still believe what Lars said yesterday. If they want to get to me, they’ll have to get through Lars.

“You’re such an idiot. Do you know what he’s going to do to you?”

And that’s when I feel the cold steel against the side of my skull.

Lars bursts through the door and then stops short when he sees the gun on me.

“Take another step, cop, and I’ll blow her brains into next Christmas.”

Lars puts his hand on his sidearm.

Slate cocks the gun and I feel it press into my temple.

I can’t help letting out a whimper.

With my eyes I tell Lars that I love him.

My lover has one hand in the air and he’s speaking calmly, trying to de-escalate the situation.

“Your people got you out on bond pretty fucking quick, Slate. I’m impressed. Did you even stay one night in County?” Lars asks.

Slate snarls next to my skull and his arm tightens around me. “The money I make dealing dope alone could make you question your whole noble career choice, my man. It’s not too late. I could use a big truck like you on my team if you get the DA to drop charges. Get my assets unfrozen. Or, you can say goodbye to your pretty little whore.”

I barely register what Lars and Slate are saying to each other as this scene plays out. All I know is my lover’s eyes never leave me and that’s enough to keep me calm.

I hope he knows I love him, and I regret not saying it directly. I hope he knows I want to have kids and grow old with him. I hope he knows…

A shot rings out. I gasp and close my eyes, waiting to see what the afterlife looks like.

But when I open my eyes, Lars has me in his arms. I look down and Slate is on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

I scream.

Lars hushes my mouth with his.

“Baby. Wendy. Tink. It’s all right. It’s over. Baby, I want you to meet somebody.”

I get control of myself and give Lars a puzzled look. “What? Who?”

I study his face and he nods toward my outside window. I let out another small scream as I see another man in black entering my space from the fire escape, carrying a rifle.

“Tink, meet Fletcher.”

I look down at the human garbage on the floor and then back up at the wiry but solid man crossing the room toward us.

My mouth falls open. “It was you?”

He nods and gives me a curt smile. “At your service.”

I turn to Lars. “I thought he was your butler!”

Lars shrugs like all of this is no big deal. “Fletcher and I served in Afghanistan together. He saved my ass on a number of occasions. So I gave him a job looking after me.”

Fletcher nods, “Yeah this one likes danger too much. I run his properties all over the world, and sometimes I back him up when he gets into a jam. Which is more often than you would think.”

I shake my head. “I have no problem believing my watcher needs a watcher.”