Chapter 62

Chapter 62

A couple days after they arrested the Hannigan Brothers and Ciaran, I knew that it was time to go back to my apartment. Lisa had been avoiding me like the plague, but I had caught Bob following me through the mansion, glaring at me, more than once. Fortunately, Jeffrey let himself known each time, and Bob backed off.

The second night after the arrest, I asked Andrew to join me for dinner after work, just us and the guards. He agreed.

When I arrived at the dining room, Andrew was already there waiting for me. In front of him lay a feast of my favorites–the same foods that Bob and Lisa had served to me the night that they drugged me. My stomach churned at the sight.

My displeasure must have shown on my face as I sat down because concern overtook Andrew’s relaxed demeanor.

“Is something wrong?” he asked, reaching over to ‘touch my arm. “I ensured that the chef made this meal specifically for you. Bob and Lisa told me that you love these dishes, especially the roast beef.”

I stared at the roast beef, bile rising up into my throat at the thought of what it had hidden that night.

“I do love them, at least, I used to, but…these are the same dishes that Bob and Lisa had made for me the night that I was…”

I buried my face in my hand.

“The night that you were drugged?“:

I nodded.

“Crystal, I am so sorry. I didn’t even think…if I had known that these were the exact dishes from that night, of course I wouldn’t have served them.”

“It’s all right-”

“No, it’s not. I should have checked.”

I lifted my head to see the earnest, sorrowful expression on Andrew’s face. It was the most emotion that I had seen on the Alpha King’s face since I had known him, a side of him I had not known before. It touched my heart, knowing that beneath his tough exterior, there was something softer.

I reached over and grabbed his hand.

17:24 Wed, 3 Jen D

“It’s all right. Really.”

Immediately, the sorrowful look was replaced with one of steely determination, one that was determined to fix his error.

“What would you like to eat instead? My chef can whip up anything.”

1 smiled slightly.

“I think I’d just like a turkey sandwich, if that’s all right with you.”

Andrew clapped his hands, and a servant appeared through a set of doors behind

him.

“Yes, Your Highness?” the servant asked.

“Enrique, can you please tell Jacques to make us two turkey sandwiches? Oh, and could someone please come and take this delectable meal to the local werewolf homeless shelter? We wouldn’t want it to go to waste.”

“Right away, Your Highness.”

The servant turned on his heel and exited out the doors through which he entered.

“You really don’t have to do that,” I said. “I don’t want to ruin your meal.”

“You’re not. It’s just a slight change in plans.”

Andrew leaned back, regaining his relaxed composure.

“Now, with that debacle being resolved, why did you want to dine with me this evening? Not that I need an excuse to spend time with someone as gorgeous as you.”

His eyes roved over me, and a grin spread across his face.

I blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

“Well, as much as I enjoy your company-” I gave him a mischievous grin of my own-“it has been a few days since the attack, and I think it’s time that I return to my apartment.”

Andrew frowned.

“Are you sure? Would you really feel safe there?”

102:25 Wed, 3 Jan F D

Chapter 62

Safer than I feel near Bob, I thought, but I knew that I couldn’t say that.

“You said it yourself, they caught the people who kidnapped me, and they were likely working alone, so I probably won’t have any more problems.”

“But what if you do? You would be safer here, under the constant surveillance of my guards, than in that neighborhood.”

It was my turn to frown. Sure, it wasn’t the most upscale neighborhood or among my top ten places in the city to live, but it wasn’t the reason why I had been kidnapped.

“One of the attacks did happen here in the mansion,” I reminded him bluntly.

It was at this point that Enrique returned with our sandwiches. Behind him came four other servants, who started to box up the feast and put the food into coolers.

Andrew did not speak the entire time the servants were in the room. Instead, we sat in silence and ate our sandwiches. When we were done, Enrique took our plates. and exited the room with the rest of the servants.

After they left, Andrew returned his attention to me. His expression was unreadable, but I could tell that he was having to restrain his instinctive anger from my previous statement.

“I still think that you’ll be safer here than at your apartment. At least there will be more than one guard around to respond if something does occur, unlike when were kidnapped.”

you

He had a good point there, but it wouldn’t matter how many guards were around to respond if the person who wanted to kill me had access to every room that I could hide in.

“I don’t want to leech off you,” I said, trying desperately to think of excuses.

“That’s why I wanted you to temporarily take that housekeeper position, so that you would be contributing to the household.”

“But like you said, that’s temporary. She won’t be on vacation forever, and I don’t want you to fire a housekeeper just to keep me.”

“I’m sure that we could use another housekeeper. It would give me a chance to buy you that French maid outfit I promised you.”

He wiggled his eyebrows at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

12:15 Wed, 3 Ja

“As tempting as that sounds, it would be pretty hard for me to keep up my Head Wedding Planner duties plus parttime housekeeper duties, especially for a house this big.”

I gestured at the mansion surrounding us for emphasis.

Andrew shrugged but seemed to take my point to heart.

“And anyway, what happened to you saying that you think that the Hannigan Brothers and Ciaran were behind all of this? Doesn’t that mean that I shouldn’t have any more problems?”

Andrew’s expression darkened.

“Crystal, you’re very important to me. Even with my official statement putting an end to those rumors, it’s now in people’s heads that you are important to me. You’ll never be safe again.”

I could feel the color drain from my face, but I did not let my resolve falter.

“Then wouldn’t it only put me in more danger to have me at the mansion? Wouldn’t it prove to….whoever wants to get to you that I matter to you?”

Andrew closed his eyes for a moment, then he nodded.

“You’re right. Maybe it would be for the best, at least for now.”

I let out a breath that I didn’t know that I had been holding.

“But I have a couple conditions.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and lifted my chin defiantly. Did he really think that he could lay out conditions for me returning to my own apartment? Still, I decided to hear him out.

“Go on.“”

“First of all, I want you to let Jeffrey to continue guarding you from the shadows,

24/7.

I nodded. I wasn’t going to argue with that condition. It actually made me feel a bit better that Jeffrey was going to stick around.

“Second, I want you to take a self–defense class.”

“What kind of self–defense class?”

n’s one designed specifically for werewolves and hybrid werewolves. They teach it at the werewolf community center downtown Lisa will be taking it as well.”

stiffened. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to take any sort of class with Lisa. Still, it sounded like a good idea, and if it was the only way that Andrew would let me return to my apartment without putting up a fight…

“Deal