Landon (In Safe Hands Book 1) Read Online Free Page B

Clark family.
    I
could’ve let the house go and bought a new one somewhere, but it seemed wrong
somehow. When Dare mentioned needing a more permanent place to set up our
organization, everything just fell into place. Hiring Zoe is just the first
step. Once it’s reasonably clean and organized, it’ll become our headquarters.
A nice house in an upper class neighborhood that won’t draw any unwanted
attention. I have no close neighbors to question why I only come and go at
night, and why most of my company does the same.
    A
patrol cop nods at me as I jog past. He recognizes me now, but the first few
times I ran by him in the middle of the night, he regarded me with suspicion.
Finally, he just stopped me and asked what the hell I was doing. My explanation
of being an insomniac and training for a marathon placated him and now he just
waves or nods when I fly by.
    That’s
another reason I look forward to living in the country. The privacy. No
suspicious faces or distrustful stares. You’d think being a night owl was a
crime. Maybe it’s the sudden cultural influx of vampire crap. There are
actually people who believe in that shit, like I’m going to bite them and drink
their blood. Gross. I want to yell, “Nothing supernatural here, you morons.
Just a guy who sleeps days.”
    The
run does the trick, and after a hot shower, I’m able to get some work done on
the computer. A little after seven a.m. I shuffle off to bed, stiff from
sitting still the last few hours. Zoe’s pale eyes and mischievous smile flash
through my head, and I quickly try to picture something else. Anything else.
She has enough to deal with without me adding to her problems. Besides, I want
her to work here more than ever now that I know how much she needs the money.
    For
some reason, Zoe is the first thing I think of when I wake. Well, actually, I’m
thinking of my uncle’s old truck that’s parked in the attached garage. It’s
just rotting in there. Why not loan it to her until she gets her car out of the
shop?
    The
garage is a dusty mess. I’ve only been in here once since I moved in. One half
is piled with boxes and junk, while my uncle’s truck takes up the other half.
Unlike most men with his type of wealth, he didn’t give two shits about the car
he drove. His ten year old pickup did him just fine, and I’m sure it will work
for Zoe for a few days once I give it a little tune up.
    She’s
due here in an hour, so I whip off the tarp covering the truck and get started.
The battery is flat as a pancake, but I have a portable charger. While that’s
running, I clean up the inside, vacuuming up the ashes and loose tobacco
sprinkled across the seat and floorboards. A little pine scented cleanser makes
it smell a whole lot better.
    I
barely hear Zoe knock on the door. Damn, it’s been an hour already? “You don’t
have to knock. The door will be unlocked,” I tell her as I let her in.
    “Okay.”
    “Did
you get your car out of the shop?”
    She
shakes her head, her ponytail swishing from side to side. “It’ll be a few days,
but that doesn’t mean you need to drive me home. A cab is fine.” There’s no
point in arguing with her now. “Would you still like me to start in the
kitchen?”
    “Please.
And I’ll be in the garage if you need anything.”
    “I’ll
be fine,” she calls, already headed to the kitchen. Damn, do I stink? She
couldn’t get away from me fast enough.
    The
next time I look up from working on the truck, the sun has set, and I open the
garage door, letting in a rush of fresh night air. With the truck windows down,
it should air out nicely. Now, if only it’ll start. It fires right up and
manages to make it just outside the garage door before dying again. Damn it.
    A
quick look under the hood and I know I need to make a trip to the automotive
store. Zoe peeks up at me when I poke my head into the kitchen. Fuck me, she’s
on her knees. Her red lips part as she gazes up at me, and every word I was
about to speak