I pull out my phone and bring up Vero’s number, but think twice. If he wasn’t the one to come here, it might cause him to spiral if he thinks I’m in danger. Reluctantly, I bring up Clay’s number, as he is no bullshit, and that’s what I need right now.
“It’s a bit late for a booty call,” he says as he picks up.
“Clay, I?—”
“What’s wrong?”
I open my mouth, but no words come out.
“Kayla, fucking say something. Are you okay? I’m on my way.”
“I’m okay, but I think someone was in my loft.”
“Shit, I’ll be there soon.”
The time he takes to get here feels like an eternity, but he stays on the phone with me, reassuring me that everything will be fine. Dread pools in my stomach that I will have to tell him why something this simple has freaked me out.
When I hear him pull up, I end the call and meet him at the door. He places his hand on my shoulder and looks me over.
“Do you think Vero would have come here?” I ask hopefully.
Clay shakes his head. “You know Vero. If he came here, he wouldn’t be secretive. You would have known about it.”
I look over at the chair, and he follows my line of sight. “Something feels off,” I say as he takes my hand in his. “The chair isn’t sitting right.”
He releases my hand and walks over to it. “Let me look around just to make sure.”
He walks around the loft, though really he wouldn’t see anything more than me since it’s an open space. When he slides out from under the bed, he has something between his fingers.
“What is it?”
He shrugs. “Nothing, just apiece of broken chalk.”
I feel like an idiot. Freaking out over a chair and making Clay of all people come and check.
“I want you to come to the island tonight.”
“Clay . . . I?—”
“I’m not asking because I think someone was here, but you are clearly freaked out about it. The island doesn’t scare you this much, so I want to check the place properly, and I can’t do that right now,” he says, crossing his arms. “There could be bugs.”
I glare at him. Really? We have gone from someone breaking in to bugs? “I don’t have bugs.”
“Not those kinds of bugs—I mean listening devices. I need to get the equipment and come back.”
“Okay,” I whisper. I would rather feel like an idiot and it be nothing than stay and worry myself sick all night.
I pack a bag and Clay waits. This time I grab a spare toothbrush.
“Ready,” I tell him when I’m done. Then I lock my door, and we head outside.
“I need you not to say anything to Vero or Brawley tonight,” he says as we get into his truck.
“Why?”
“Vero has just come out of an episode, and I don’t want to give him something to spiral over. He won’t let it go if he thinks there is a threat to you. And Brawley can’t keep a fucking secret to save his life when it comes to Vero.”
“It’s why I didn’t call him before I called you. No offense, but you were not my first choice.”