Colton was not in the apartment when they arrived, but Briar didn’t seem surprised by the fact in the least.

“He’s probably out with his friends,” she sighed. “My cell phone got lost in the crash, and the landline…” She inhaled sharply. “The landline doesn’t work.” She darted her eyes away, though not before Alec could read the embarrassment there.

Another unpaid bill, he realized.

“I don’t think we should stay here any longer than necessary,” Alec told her softly. “Maybe grab what you’ll need for a few days, and we’ll head to my place.” His inert sixth sense told him that Raven and Drake had not sat in place after learning that Alec had gone to Briar’s ex’s house.

It took me nothing to find Briar. They are hellbent on revenge and a lot more motivated than I was.

Briar didn’t argue and hurried further into the apartment, leaving Alec to look around at the poorly-decorated space. It was rife with old furniture and Salvation Army posters, all hung haphazardly to cover holes or water damage. He remembered what she’d said to Colton about being evicted, and he wondered how much of that was true.

Did she just tell him that to scare him or is she actually about to be homeless? Alec knew it wasn’t really his place to ask her, but it bothered him as much as everything else in the situation did.

“Are you sure going to your place is a good idea?” Briar asked, reappearing in the living room, holding a torn knapsack. “I mean, won’t I be walking right into their territory?”

“First of all, I wouldn’t walk you into a trap. Secondly, they don’t know what you look like.” At least, he hoped so. “Even if they happen to see you, we could say you’re someone else,” Alec continued. It was a flimsy plan at best, but he was running out of ideas after going full force all day. They both needed to rest, and his place was the safest spot he could think of at that moment.

“Do you have a cell?” Briar asked, nodding toward the bulge in his hoodie pocket. “I could call Colton from yours.”

“NO!” She was taken aback by the firmness in his tone, and Alec instantly softened his voice. “My phone needs to stay off until we get home, all right?” She nodded slowly, but Alec could see she didn’t understand why. To her credit, she didn’t push the issue.

“I got a couple things,” she said, holding up her bag and a cat carrier that held her cat, Suki. “We can go if you think we should.”

The indecisiveness in her face was clear, and Alec watched her as he had when he’d first seen her lying in the hospital bed. An overwhelming sense of protectiveness flowed through him as their eyes met.

She trusts me, but she doesn’t know why. I know why, but she has no idea.

At first, he hadn’t been certain. The more time they spent together, though, the more he realized that his gut instinct was right about her: there was more to Briar Baker than met the eye.

“You’ve got to stop staring at me like that,” Briar told him, shattering his penetrating gaze. “You’re giving me a complex.”

“Sorry,” Alec murmured, beaming. “You’re very easy on the eyes.” Her face exploded into a crimson blush which crept into the highs of her ears, and Alec’s smile widened. “Does that surprise you?” he asked innocently. “I would have thought that you get complimented all the time.”

Briar turned her head away, her messy blonde tresses half-covering her cheeks, but Alec read her face clearly.

“Forgive me if I don’t feel overly attractive right now,” she sniffed. “I’ve got other things on my mind than my stunning good looks.”

Bemusement tickled Alec’s stomach. He nodded. “Fair enough. Let’s get out of here then. I’ll save my compliments for the ride.”

Before either of them could move, there was a pounding on the door, and they froze in unison. Briar’s eyes were like saucers, ready to spring from her head, but Alec shook his head slowly, pressing his index finger to his lips.

“Baker? Are you in there?” Relief caused Briar’s shoulders to sag, and she moved toward the door.

“What are you doing?” Alec hissed. Instead of answering him, she threw the door open.

“Hi, James,” she sighed. “He’s still not home.” The older man in the stained undershirt grunted.

“Harrumph,” James snorted, his eyes traveling toward Alec. “You wouldn’t be hiding him, would you?”

“No,” Briar said quickly. “I haven’t seen him.”

“Well, Briar, I’m not going to tell him about this again. The rent is—”

“I know, James, I know,” she interrupted. “I’ll tell him, I promise. You don’t have to keep coming back.”

“One week, Briar. That’s all you have.”

“We’re just on our way out, James.” Briar looked meaningfully toward Alec, who stepped forward.

“How much is rent?” he asked. The superintendent snickered.

“You gonna pay it, Richie Rich?”

Alec’s mouth became a firm line. “Briar, how much?”

Her face paled. “Never mind,” she snapped. “James, I’ll tell Colton you came by. Again.”

She moved to close the door in the super’s face, but James stuck his foot inside to peer at Alec.

“Two grand. That includes the back rent,” he announced. “You got that?”

“James!” Briar yelled, but Alec held up his hand.

“I’ll have it to you by tomorrow. Is a check okay?”

James leered, exposing a set of ugly, nicotine-stained teeth.

“If it bounces, it’s just going on the eviction notice,” he replied. “Hey, look at you, honey. You finally found a man worthy of you. Good for you, Briar.” He removed his foot from the doorway, and Briar slammed it shut, her cheeks almost purple with humiliation.

“You’re not paying my rent!” she huffed. “I really wish you hadn’t volunteered your two cents.”

“That guy shouldn’t be harassing you for your rent,” Alec said evenly. “I can pay him, or he can keep making your life miserable.”

“I don’t need your money!” Briar’s tone was almost hysterical. “I don’t need anything from you!”

“You might be surprised.”

“God, I don’t even know you, Alec! You can’t just swoop into my life and take over!”

His brow furrowed, and he stared at her.

“I’m trying to help you,” he reminded her tautly. “This isn’t my mess; it’s yours.”

“It’s not my goddamned mess!” Briar howled. “It’s Colton’s! It’s always Colton’s!” Tears flooded her eyes, and Alec watched as she whirled away. “I don’t want to go with you,” she muttered, but he could hear the catch in her voice. “You should leave now.”

“I’m not leaving you here when Raven is going to burst down this door any minute.”

“Well, I’ll find somewhere else to go then. I don’t want to go with you.”

Alec didn’t respond. He stepped toward her, gently placing his hand on her shoulder.

“Why are you so angry with me?” he asked quietly. “I’m not your enemy here, Briar.”

“I don’t know what you are,” she said, “but I’ve been around long enough to know that I should be wary of strangers bearing gifts.”

He bristled but steeled his temper. “Strangers or men?”

She whipped back around to glare at him. “Are you going off on some incel tirade now?”

Alec smirked. “Hardly. But I did meet your charming ex. Jack was it?”

Briar’s mouth fell open, and she gaped at him. “You met him?”

“Your van is still registered to his house. How long ago did he throw you out?”

Her eyes popped, and she scoffed in disbelief.

“Throw me out?” she echoed. “I left that prick as soon as I realized what a narcissistic ass he was. He begged me to stay!” Ah. Well, that explained the venom Jack had toward her. “You don’t believe me?”

“I do believe you, Briar. I’ve believed everything you’ve said to me thus far. Why are you acting like I’m out to get you?”

Briar closed her mouth, and a look of contrition passed over her face before she lowered her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she sighed. “I guess… I guess I’m used to people screwing me over.”

“I’m not going to screw you over if you listen to me,” he promised. “But we really do need to get out of here. We can argue about paying your rent on the way, okay?” She grinned sheepishly and shrugged.

“All right,” she agreed, reaching for her knapsack where she’d dropped it on the ground by the front door.

Alec left first, checking the halls to ensure that they weren’t being watched. Then he gestured for her to follow.

“Come on,” he said, and Briar continued after him, slipping her hand into his outstretched palm. Together, they headed back down toward the parking lot.

“It stopped raining,” Briar commented, looking up toward the sky. There was a lightness to her voice that Alec hadn’t heard before.

“That’s a good sign.”

“I hope so.” Alec stole one last look at Briar before they climbed into the vehicle. She seemed to sense him looking at her at exactly that moment.

“You ready?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” she replied, shrugging. “Am I?”

He chuckled. “We’re just going to my house. It’s on the outskirts, but it’s got all the creature comforts.”

“I don’t even know what creature comforts are,” she joked.

“I guess you’ll find out.” They shared a smile, and Alec was again struck by her loveliness.

Thanks, Miriam, he thought unexpectedly. I owe you one if I ever see you again.