But the thought of someone making Xander feel unsafe? Making him feel as though he needed protection when he walked down the damn street? Well, that just made my blood fucking boil.
As I waited for a response, Xander cocked his head so he could look me in the eye. I could see the indecision there, that confidence I knew he prided himself with faltering as he struggled with his next move.
Truth or lie. Truth or lie. He nodded.
“Yes, okay? There have been three threats sent to the station.”
“Directly against you?”
He swallowed but kept eye contact. “Directly against me.”
Shit, this was not good. Whatever had been sent had spooked Xander, and considering how put together the guy usually was, that had my senses tingling.
I rubbed a hand over the back of my neck, trying to decide how best to play this. But one thing I knew for certain was that I needed more information. “Has this kind of thing happened before? I imagine you get crazies every now and then, annoyed at what you’re reporting or how.”
“Right, we do. I’ve even gotten hate mail due to my personal life and choices.”
“Because you’re gay?”
He rolled his eyes. “You don’t miss much, do you, sparky?”
“I’m just making sure we’re talking about the same thing here so there’s no confusion.”
“Then yes, let me be crystal clear. I’ve had some pretty horrible comments based on the whole gay anchor thing, but this is the first time one added my address at the bottom and said, You’re meant2bmine and soon you will be.”
“Fucking hell. That’s some serious shit.”
Xander grimaced. “I know, that’s why my boss is demanding a bodyguard by tomorrow morning.”
“As he should. You don’t know what this lunatic is capable of. Do they want to kidnap you? Scare you? Keep you for themselves? Do they believe if they can’t have you then no one else should?”
“Gee, that’s so comforting, Sean. Thanks.”
He didn’t sound comforted. But hey, I wasn’t about to lie to him. “I’m just pointing out that your boss isn’t wrong. You need a bodyguard.”
“Which is exactly why I’m here. Do you know a reputable company? Maybe someone you’ve worked with?”
I knew plenty of people, but I wasn’t about to source him out. “Me. I’ll do it. I’ll come on as your bodyguard.”
Xander sputtered a little, or maybe he was just clearing his throat. “Are you kidding? No.”
If the topic hadn’t been quite so serious, I might’ve found his incredulity amusing. However, there was nothing remotely funny about what he was telling me. I’d known Alexander Thorne most of his life, and I’d never seen him so on edge. These threats had shaken his usually cool exterior, and right now he looked as though he were about to go off the deep end.
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t actually want people to know I have a bodyguard. Yes, I want this asshole caught. But if he sees you trailing me in all black with a scowl on your face, he’ll go into hiding and we’ll never find him.”
Hmm, he had a point. But so did I. I’d wanted some time off from the force but knew a standard vacation was not for me. So what better way to occupy my time than taking on this as a side job?
“Okay then, what are you thinking? No matter who you hire, they’re going to trail you. That’s how bodyguards work.”
“I know that.” Xander clenched his jaw, clearly pissed off about the whole situation, and I couldn’t blame him. I wouldn’t want someone observing every move I made. But at the same time, I also enjoyed being alive. “What if they—”
“I.”
“You’re not doing this, Sean.”
“I am, but we can discuss that after. Keep going.”
Xander glared at me so hard that I was surprised lasers didn’t come out of his eyes and melt me to the ground. But too bad; I wasn’t about to let my brother’s best friend hire some schmuck off the street when I knew I could do a better job. Xander would just have to suck it up and deal with it.
“What about undercover?” he suggested. “What if they come on as my assistant?”
I didn’t miss his insistence that whoever he was going to hire wouldn’t be me. But we could duke that out later—for now, we needed to get the details ironed out, and one thing I knew for damn sure was that I was nobody’s errand boy.
“How about no? I’m not going to be your whipping boy for the next however many weeks, sorry. Next idea.”
“It’s not going to be you. So I don’t see the problem.”
“It is going to be me. So…next idea.”
Xander mumbled something I didn’t quite catch, then went to step around me as though he were leaving.
I grabbed his arm. “Where are you going?”
“I’m leaving. What does it look like I’m doing?”
I tightened my fingers around the expensive material of his jacket and shook my head. “Uh-uh, are you crazy? I’m not about to let you walk out that door after what you just told me.”
“And what do you plan to do? Handcuff me to a chair?”
“If I have to.”
“I’d like to see you try.”
If he kept up this attitude, he just might get his wish. As Xander tugged his arm free, we stood there in a stalemate, and I noticed the slight flush to his cheeks.
Xander was usually put together—always ready for the camera, Bailey would say. But as he stood there now, his looks very much matched his mood—frazzled.
His sea-green eyes were wary, darting around at every little sound my house made. His gunmetal-colored hair was sticking out at all angles from the fingers he’d run through it, and the tic in his jaw was increasing in speed the longer we stood there with our horns locked.
He was clearly agitated and trying not to let it show with this bullshit bravado act, but it was time to let him know he’d done the right thing in coming here.
“Look, I know you weren’t expecting to hire me for this job, but I’m not about to let someone else take this on when I know full well that I would be better at it. I’ve had years of experience undercover, I would have the full support of the force behind me to look into backgrounds, locations, and anything that might arise—plus, I know you. Bailey would never forgive me if I sent you away and something happened to you.”
Xander’s eyes roved over my face—God only knew what he was looking for—but then he let out a breath and nodded. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes, okay. You’re right. I’d feel more comfortable having you around than some stranger, so why not. But I still don’t want you to look like my bodyguard.”
“Yeah? Well, I’m not gonna be your assistant.” When Xander rolled his eyes I added, “Plus, how would you explain me driving you to and from work every day?”
“That’s what you’re going to do?”
“That is part of the job. A bodyguard is there to guard the body. I can’t do that if I’m not with you. So I’ll have to come and stay with you too.”
“What?” Xander’s eyes widened until they all but encompassed his face. “You’ve lost your mind.”