Tess joins in with agreement. “You’re so going to end up with your stalker.”
I look between the two of them as if they’ve sprouted second heads. “Are you insane? He’s a murderer. Hetorturespeople.”
They look at each other, then laugh. “Doc, you know who you’re talking to right?” Carina giggles.
Crap.
The only two people in the world that I might consider friends… are killers. Is Eli really worse than them?
I don’t know anymore.
Carina reaches out a hand to me. “The fact that you defended him when I said I wanted to kill him is telling. You care for him, at least in some capacity. From what you’ve said, it sounds like he’d genuinely do anything for you. Are his methods unconventional? Sure. But it sounds like his heart is in the right place.”
I certainly have a lot to think about.
“How is baby Nico?” I ask Tess, moving the topic on.
She gave birth only a couple of weeks ago, I’m surprised she’s even out right now, honestly. Tess groans, dropping her head to the table and running her fingers through her hair. “He hates me.”
Carina rolls her eyes. “He’s a baby. He doesn’t have that emotion.”
“Then why does he cry every time he sees me?”
“Because he’s a baby? Babies cry.”
Tess harrumphs. “He never cries for Kai.”
“Give him time,” I tell her.
She grumbles at us both.
The rest of lunch flies by. Thankfully, I didn’t have a client immediately after as I’ve ended up taking an extra-long break.
“I’ve got to get back to work.”
The three of us walk down the road towards the practice. My hairs stand on end as we get closer.
I scan my eyes around but don’t see anything. Not until we’re at my office.
Leaning outside the building is Eli, arms crossed in front of him, one leg thrown over the other. He looks sinfully hot: tight white t-shirt hugging his muscles, showing off his tanned skin and tattooed arms, and his signature ripped black jeans.
“Angel,” he greets.
Carina and Tess look between the two of us before forming a barrier, stepping in front of me.
Eli smirks, standing straighter.
Carina goes toe-to-toe with him. “I know who you are,” she remarks. “If you hurt one single hair on her head—”
“You’ll what?” Eli asks, tilting his head at her.
She leans in, standing on her toes to whisper in his eyes. His eyes widen. Then he grins. “Noted.”
He moves around Tess to wrap his arm around my shoulders. “Rest assured, ladies, I would never let my Angel come to any harm.”
“You okay?”Carina mouths to me.
“I’m good. I’ll see you guys soon?”