Lead Me Astray

Chapter 5

Mys

August 10 | Morning

I had a routine, but it was out the window by the next morning. A schedule didn't stand a chance against the disruption sitting in my favorite chair. Dressed in one of my shirts and smelling like marked territory, Aurie seemed to belong at my place.

I blinked rapidly. No, she didn't belong, and she couldn't stay.

Sitting up, I winced from another kink-free night. (Not that I ever had sex, even as an escort, but that was another story.) Aurie had asked for my laptop, and when she saw me stirring, she pointed at the screen.

"Good, you're awake. Judging by Instagram, I was out with my sister last night."

"Instagram?" I padded to the bathroom.

"I was, um, having trouble remembering."

She caught me standing at the toilet and quickly glanced away. I sensed her curiosity, just as I had sensed her feelings about my cologne. I nudged the door shut, but it stayed partially ajar.

"Is that usual?" I yawned.

"It's not my usual. I can't recall anything before I met you."

Fuck. Yay me. I stepped from the bathroom and casually asked, "So, have you figured out where you want me to drop you off?" Fingers crossed.

"Yeah, my family's address was the first thing that popped up when I searched my name."

"Yay!" I pumped a fist.

Aurie exhaled. "I'm kidding, asshole. I can't search or anything. I've just been staring at the same split screen you left up for me with my Instagram and Facebook accounts."

"Oh . . ." I considered how much work I was missing out on while I let her use my laptop. I weighed that against how long I wanted my apartment to be haunted. Clapping my hands together, I hunkered down next to her and took the computer. "All right, how can I help you to get out of here?"

"Reverse image search this photo of my sister and me?"

We bonded the rest of the morning as we scoured the internet for personal details that nobody with a fraction of sense should ever post publicly. It was sometime around noon when a knock at the door interrupted us.

"Are you expecting company?" Aurie bit the corner of her lip.

Shushing her, I dug a gun from the sofa and crept over to see who was there. No, I wasn't expecting company. No one knew where I lived. No one should've been able to find where I lived, thanks to a powerful spell on the door as ancient as the ground upon which the cathedral stood.

With my Empathy, I felt around and sensed no malice on the other side.

"State your name and purpose," I called out.

"Detective Zyr Ravani. I'm here about a crime you may have witnessed last night."

"I think you've got the wrong place, Detective. This is church storage."

"Hmph . . . I heard the victim ask if you were expecting company."

I gaped at Aurie. "You seem to attract a lot of this," I complained.

"A lot of what? What are you talking about?"

Ignoring her, I opened the door. "Show me your badge."

Detective Ravani wordlessly took out his identification. I sensed my weapon was useless against him. Good thing he wasn't trouble. He was average height, built like his workout of choice was hard labor, and he filled my apartment with ego and wildness when he came in. Against the backdrop of Aurie's cool restraint, his presence blazed.