“Uh, Eric?” She almost waved her hand in front of his face.

He swallowed. His nostrils flared. Then he gave a nod. “You can stay with me. I’ve got plenty of room.”

“I-I stayed in a motel last night.”

“A no-tell-motel,” Ben called out cheerfully—probably from her bedroom. “That place was creepy as hell. No way are you staying there again! I told you that already.”

At Ben’s shout, Eric turned on his heel and stalked down the hallway. Piper scrambled to keep up with him. As soon as they entered her bedroom, he stopped cold.

It was even more of a nightmare in there. Her mattress had been cut over and over, slashed. Her underwear was on the floor. Her jewelry box had been broken. Her clothes taken out of the closet. Some had been sliced, some thrown across the room.

“Sonofabitch.” Eric’s voice was a hard snarl of fury.

“The cops just left it this way.” Ben shook his head as he bent to grab a pair of yoga pants from the floor. “Can you believe that?”

“They don’t do clean-up.” Each word from Eric seemed gritted out. “Just leave that stuff. We’ll get her new things.” He glanced toward Piper. “Those clothes are ruined.”

Some of them could be saved, she was sure of it.

“I will take care of it,” Eric promised her. “Consider it done already. You don’t need to worry.”

Weariness pulled at her. “It’s so weird when you’re nice. It creeps me out.”

His lips twitched.

But then he looked around at her bedroom, and the faint amusement vanished instantly. “We’re going home.” He took her hand in his.

She tried not to jerk or flinch or give any sign that an electric current of heat had just shot through her fingers. That usually happened when he touched her. She got a bolt of sensual awareness. A bolt that made her heart quicken and her breath pant and her whole body tingle.

“Hey, wait! She can stay with me!” Ben bounded toward them, frowning. “I called you for your security expertise, but you don’t need to take Piper home with you. I’ve got her.”

“Not this time.”

A furrow appeared between Ben’s brows.

“Piper.” Eric nodded toward her. “Can I speak with my brother for a moment? Alone?”

Seriously? “You want me to walk out of my bedroom so that you two can talk?” He wanted to kick her out of her own room?

“That would be great. Thank you,” Eric added, as if he were trying to remember his manners.

She gaped for a moment. Unbelievable. Piper spun on her heel. Marched out.

The door clicked shut behind her.

***