I try to fall asleep but spend more time looking out the window to make sure everything is okay across street than I do lying down. At three thirty in the morning, I finally give up and drag an upholstered chair to my bedroom window and set up camp right there. Even though I open my eyes every time I hear a noise, I’m actually able to sneak in a few hours of sleep. My neck and back hurt like a mother when I finally stand up and stretch at six in the morning when my alarm goes off, but it’s a small price to pay. If anything had happened to Mrs. Greenly or her son while I was laid out on my bed, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.

Everything looks quiet across the street, so I hop in the shower before quickly getting dressed and heading over to check on things. When I get to the front door, I hesitate before knocking. I don’t want to wake them up if they’re still asleep, so I peek inside the front window to see if anyone is moving.

Nathan is curled up on the sofa, sound asleep.

He looks younger when he’s sleeping, but I wouldn’t exactly call his expression peaceful. Even fully relaxed, his forehead looks tense and troubled. My calendar notification dings and I remember my proposal review with Victor in an hour to prep for our proposal at ten. If there was any way I could reschedule this meeting, I would. But the university requires so many hoops and processes to schedule any kind of meeting, and we’ve been chasing this bid for months. I have to be there.

Turning on my heel without waking up Nathan, I head back toward my house, calling Oliver as I walk.

“You better be dead,” he mumbles over the line.

“Shit, sorry. I forgot how early it is.”

“I’ve been doing surveillance for the past few nights. Just got home a few hours ago.”

“Well, then, you’re really not gonna want to hear what I’m calling to ask.”

“Mmm, prolly not,” he says incoherently, falling asleep again.

“Dude, wake up. I need you to sit on someone for me.”

He groans and clears his throat. “Who and why?”

“My neighbor has been harassing his brother. I’ve got an important meeting, so I can’t hang around to keep an eye on things.”

“Your neighbor? What neighbor?”

“Remember the old lady across the street?”

Oliver laughs. “The one your dad was trying to get busy with?”

I cringe. That’s not an image I want in my head right now. “Yeah, her. Anyway, she has two sons. One took off when he was a kid. The other you probably remember from football. Joseph Greenly.”

“Yeah, I remember that dude. Kind of a jerk, right?”

“To say the least.” I scoff at the understatement. “Anyway, his younger brother, Nathan, an omega, just came back into town last night and plans to stay while his mom is sick. But I don’t trust Joseph to be alone with him.”

“Bad blood?” Oliver deals with a lot of bad blood in his line of work. He’s a private detective with his own practice. The stories he tells of what people will do to hurt those they used to love are shocking.

“I think it’s worse than that, but I don’t know for sure. I just know Nathan isn’t safe with Joseph.”

“Fuck,” Oliver whispers into the phone. “What time do you need me?”

“I have got to get out of here in about forty-five minutes. I doubt Joseph will wake up early and come over, but I won’t be back until this afternoon. If you can just hang out at my place and keep an eye on their house until I get home, that would be great.”

“I’ll be there before you leave.” Oliver hangs up the phone and I know I owe him big-time for this.

The proposal meeting goes really well but runs longer than expected. And then it was lunchtime and we couldn’t say no to their offer to try a new Mediterranean place downtown. Unfortunately, that means Victor and I were stuck with them for an extra two hours.

I’m finally driving home when Oliver calls.

I answer on the first ring. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Joseph just pulled up.”

Fuck. My foot hits the accelerator a little heavier. “What’s happening?”

“Not much so far. He just walked inside. You want me to go over?”

“Yeah, I’m still at least fifteen minutes out, so just stay close. Maybe walk by the house and see if everything looks calm inside.”

“You got it.” There must be a breeze because I hear wind bouncing against the mic on Oliver’s phone. “Damn, that’s the little brother? How come I don’t remember him?”

“He didn’t play football, so you wouldn’t have known him. Is he okay?”

“Looks like it. He just walked outside and is sitting on the porch swing by himself.”

I heave out a relieved breath. “Good. As long as you can see him, you don’t need to get any closer.”

“What, afraid if I get too close, he’ll want me instead?”

I shake my head even though no one can see it. “You wish. Just fall back.”

“Easy, easy, cousin. I get it. You’ve got dibs. I’ll just take your mail inside then wait to see what happens.”

“Thank you.” An ocean of red lights fills my line of sight just as I hang up with Oliver.

There shouldn’t be any traffic in the middle of the day, but there’s a ton of construction going on down town. It takes me five minutes just to get a quarter of a mile down the street. Ten minutes later, I call Olivier back. “Traffic’s a bitch. How’s everything there?”

“Joseph just walked out and is talking to Nathan. They seem civil enough.”

“Don’t trust him. If he tries to take Nathan inside, fake a stroke or something to distract them until I get there.”

“Why the fuck are you so worried about these guys? Just because your dad had the hots for their mom?”

“Just do it. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I hit the end button and toss my phone onto the seat beside me.