Blacklisted (Loveless, Texas #3) - Jay Crownover Page 0,87

I didn’t enjoy it one bit.

I fired off a text letting him know I was creeped out. All I wanted was to hear him say, “Everything is all right.” It wasn’t until this very moment that I realized exactly how much I’d started to lean on the burly biker, how much I’d started to trust him to have my back and be there for me when I needed him.

Sucking in a breath and holding my phone even tighter in my hand, I took a step into the hallway and followed the loud, tinny sound. I tried to call Shot again and was immediately sent to voice mail. I scowled at the device in my hand and looked around for the armed guard. Every instinct I had was telling me to go back into my office and call for help, but I couldn’t seem to keep my feet from moving forward.

Without realizing what I was doing, my fingers pressed another contact on my phone. This time a deep, gruff voice answered immediately when the call went through.

“Presley?” Case’s voice sounded both curious and concerned. Kody was usually the Lawton I reached out to, but in this instance, for some reason, Case was the one I wanted if I couldn’t have Shot.

“I’m sorry to bother you so late.” I kept my voice a low whisper as I tiptoed down the hallway.

“I can barely hear you. Is everything all right?” I could hear him shifting around as he muttered something to Aspen. “Where are you?”

“I’m at my office in Ivy. I’m working late.” As I got further down the hallway the sound got louder. It seemed like it was coming from the night clerk’s office. “There’s a weird sound coming from one of the offices and I don’t see the night patrol guy anywhere. I was just a little freaked out and didn’t want to go investigate without someone knowing what was going on.” I frowned as I paused outside of the other office door. “I called Shot but he didn’t answer. I guess I could go outside and grab his buddy who he has watching me and have him check it out, but I’d feel stupid if it turns out to be nothing.”

I tentatively reached for the doorknob as Case swore softly in my ear. “I’m assuming the building is pretty secure?”

I nodded, then realized he couldn’t see me. “It is. Normally I feel safer here than I do at my apartment.”

“How hard would it be to call the night guard to check out the sound instead of you doing it?” There was the sound of clothes rustling as Case asked the perfectly logical question.

“Umm…I’m already in front of the door. I’m going in.” I felt like I had to so I could prove to myself that there was nothing to be afraid of. This place was my sanctuary, or it had been before Ashby corrupted it. I was slowly taking it back, and opening the door in front of me was part of that.

“Stay on the phone with me, Presley. No matter what, don’t hang up.” Case’s order was strong and demanding in my ear. Again I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. His raspy drawl was reassuring and so was his presence on the other end of the line.

Taking a deep breath I twisted the knob and pushed the door open.

The startled night clerk looked up from his desk. He let out a little shriek and dropped the jar of pickles he had in his hands. The lid of the jar was dented and deformed from where he’d been pounding on the edge of the metal desk. He tossed his hands up in the air and asked, “What are you doing, Dr. Baskin? I didn’t even know you were still here. I thought everyone checked out for the day.” He put a hand to his chest as he glared at me. “You scared the life out of me. Why didn’t you knock?”

I exhaled slowly and couldn’t stop the nearly hysterical laugh that bubbled up my throat. “I’m sorry. I heard the banging and wondered what on Earth it was. I didn’t see the night guard anywhere, so I figured I’d go and investigate myself. I apologize for intruding.”

Case’s low laugh in my ear calmed the rest of my frazzled nerves. I apologized again and told the clerk I would be leaving within the next hour or so. I knew there was no way I was going to be able