“It’s complicated.”

“I’m a good listener.”

“They shouldn’t have come to you. I don’t need a guard dog.”

“Dean said you’d refuse him if he and his partner gave him to you.”

“Dean would have been right.” Eliza finally turned toward him. Her eyes pierced his. “I still don’t want him.”

“But you’ll keep him…right?”

Her jaw tightened, her eyes darted toward the door the animal had walked through. “I don’t know.”

Carter placed a hand on her shoulder, and when she didn’t shrug him off, his insides doubled in. Somewhere in the back of her eyes, he noticed fright. It only lasted a minute before it was gone. “For a little while. Please. I can’t be with you all the time.”

“I didn’t ask— ”

“And you live alone. Tarzana isn’t the safest city in the valley.”

“It’s not the worst either,” she defended.

“Are you going to tell me why? Why Dean and James asked me to give you this dog…why they know you to begin with?”

Eliza swallowed a couple of times, obviously struggling with her words. “They’re being paranoid. Overprotective cops who think everyone is the enemy. They’re cautious is all.”

“You carry a gun in your purse, Eliza. That’s more than caution.”

She shrugged away from him and moved to the window to stare outside. After a few minutes of silence, she told him what he’d already been told. “I’m part of the witness protection program. Dean and Jim were assigned to my case when I was a kid. The guy they’re worried about is serving a life sentence, so there really isn’t anything to get worked up about. Zod is overkill. I’m not in any real danger or they’d have moved me on by now. They’re just paranoid. Have been since the press conference.”

Carter felt strain in his arms and realized his fists were clenched. Hearing confirmation of his earlier concerns angered him. “Who? Who are they protecting you from?”

“It isn’t important.”

“Bullshit.”

She swiveled on him, her hands rested on her hips. “I’ve already told you why. What you’ll probably hear from Blake once he and Samantha talk. I would never ask my best friend to keep this from her husband, and I know you’ll talk to him. But no more, Carter. I see no need to place you or Sam and her family in any more danger.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Maybe you can. But what about Sam? What about Eddie? The witness relocation program isn’t set up for petty theft.”

“I know that.”

“Then you know I can’t reveal any more than I have. Against my better judgment, I’m standing here and not running off like a scared rabbit. That doesn’t mean I won’t if there is any real sign that someone is after me.”

“Dean is giving you a police dog. They’re worried.”

“Paranoid. Not worried.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Because they gave me a dog and not a human escort, that’s why. I know what I’m talking about, Carter. I’ve lived with this my whole life. If there was any real threat they would ambush me and make sure I had twenty-four hour protection until I could disappear or be as protected as the President of the United States.”

Carter wasn’t sure if he should be relieved or upset.

He was uneasy, regardless of her explanation. “You’ll keep the dog?”

“Will it end this conversation?”

For now. “Yes.”

“Fine. I’ll keep the dog.”

Carter accepted it as a small victory. She’d told him some of the truth, and he accomplished the goal of maneuvering a guard dog into her home.

What Eliza didn’t know was that he planned on being beside the dog every moment he wasn’t working. And if he couldn’t be there, then he’d find a way to have others by her side.

Chapter Ten

An impromptu dinner party began once Blake returned home. In truth, Eliza was comfortable with the distraction. Zod sat on the floor between her and Carter and eyed the people at the table. Police dogs like the massive shepherd were trained to ignore offerings of food from strangers, but that didn’t stop some people from trying to feed them.

“I’m surprised you managed to get away this long, Carter.” Sam was pushing food around her plate, obviously not interested in eating. “I don’t think we’ve spent over an hour in your presence since the campaign began.”

Carter’s gaze drifted briefly to Eliza then quickly to the dog.

“I could use a few days off.”

Gwen placed her hands in her lap. “Do governors take holidays?”

“I’m not the governor yet.” Carter smiled at Gwen and started to slip another piece of his dinner under the table to Zod. Zod glanced at the food, ignored it, and rested his head in his paws.

Eliza caught Carter’s hand and placed it firmly on top of the table. He lifted one side of his mouth in a sly smile.

“But when you are, will you have time for yourself?”

“I’m sure I’ll figure it out,” Carter said. He gave up on feeding the dog and left the morsel meant for Zod on his napkin before reaching for his drink.

“Even our government officials take vacations,” Eliza explained to Gwen. “Speaking of vacations, where’s Neil?” Eliza directed her question to Blake.

“He’s driving Jordan and her nurse back from the summer camp.”

Eliza shook her head. She’d forgotten all about Jordan’s week long outing. Samantha’s sister had the mind of a child and didn’t trust many people. As Sam and Blake’s bodyguard, Neil had taken on the role of Jordan’s protector, too. The whole idea of a bodyguard bothered her when Samantha and Blake first got married, but Eliza viewed Neil as one of the family now. Although the man didn’t say very much, his size and deathly stare would scare any would-be assailant away.

“How did it go this year?”

Samantha smiled. “Well, I think. She’s adjusting to changes much easier in this last year. I think Eddie stimulates her.”

“Eddie stimulates everyone…at three in the morning,” Blake said laughing.

“It’s not that bad.” Sam swatted his arm.

“So Neil will be home tomorrow then?” Gwen asked.

Eliza noted the lift in Gwen’s chin as she directed the conversation back to Neil.