“Where’s Holly?” he asked, shooting his commanding officer a quizzical look.

Carson’s jaw tensed. “She’s crashing at her sister’s tonight.”

He didn’t elaborate, and Cash didn’t push. But damn, he hoped there wasn’t trouble in paradise. Carson and Holly were the most rock-solid couple he’d ever met, and so well suited for one another it was almost disgusting. They’d been together for five years, married for two, and every time Cash saw them, he experienced a raw pang of envy. They were so at ease with each other, on the same wavelength in every conceivable way, something Cash had never experienced with a woman.

The girls he’d dated accused him of being too blunt, too detached, too selfish. It grated, because he truly didn’t see himself as any of those things. Sure, maybe he didn’t always know the right thing to say, maybe he didn’t understand all those mind games females liked to play, but that didn’t make him a shitty person, did it?

Pushing aside his troubling thoughts, he followed Carson into the living room and settled on the couch, while Carson disappeared into the kitchen to grab them some beers. He returned a minute later, handed Cash a bottle of Bud Light and sank into the leather recliner opposite the couch.

“So listen, I need a favor,” Carson began, his blue eyes crinkling with discomfort.

Cash furrowed his brows. “Sounds ominous.”

“Not really. It’s just… Fuck, my sister drives me crazy sometimes. You won’t believe the trouble she winds up in.”

“Your sister? The favor has to do with her?”

“Yeah. See, she’s got this psycho ex-boyfriend.” Carson’s mouth flattened. “Well, more like a stalker.”

“Your sister has a stalker.”

“I know, right? Sounds really f**king dumb when you say it out loud. But it’s not a joke. This guy is a total creep. She broke up with him about a month ago, but he refuses to leave her alone. I actually went to the police station with her this morning to file a restraining order.”

Shit. That sounded bad.

“What’d he do?” Cash narrowed his eyes. “Did the ass**le get physical?”

Carson’s cheeks hollowed, as if he were grinding his teeth together. “Son of a bitch manhandled her outside a club. She managed to get in a cab and hightail it home, but the next day, Psycho McGee shows up at her store with flowers. She says thanks but no thanks, ass**le, but he doesn’t stop there. Starts sending her creepy texts and emails, along the lines of if I can’t have you, no one else will.”

“Fuck.”

“Fuck is right. She changed her number and blocked his email address, hoping that if she keeps ignoring him he’ll give up. But then last night, she comes home from work and finds rose petals all over her f**king bed. Apparently he figured out where she hides the spare key and let himself in—and before you ask, yes, she had the locks changed. Anyway, Psycho McGee left another note with the rose petals. Some real sicko shit.” Carson shook his head. “I’m worried a restraining order isn’t going to stop the guy, that he’ll come after her again, except this time, he really won’t take no for an answer.”

“So what do you need from me?” he asked slowly.

“I want you to keep an eye on her.”

Cash blinked. “What?”

“The psycho’s office is transferring him to Oakland so he’ll be leaving town soon, but until then, I don’t want my sister to be alone. She’ll come stay with you for a few weeks—”

“Wait, what?”

Carson shot him an impatient look. “Should I slow down and talk in words you understand?”

“Yes,” he grumbled. “What do you mean, your sister’s coming to stay with me?”

“I can’t leave her all alone in her apartment, not while this guy is still around. I’d let her stay with Holly and me, but—” Carson paused, looking vaguely embarrassed, “—but it’s not a good time, okay? And I can’t stay at Jenny’s and leave Holly here by herself.”

“Don’t you have parents?”

He knew he sounded like a whiny brat, but come on, he wasn’t in the mood to babysit Carson’s sister. He didn’t go back on duty for a few more weeks, and he’d been looking forward to the downtime.

“She won’t go for it,” Carson said with a sigh. “My parents give her a lot of shit, and there’s no way she’ll agree to stay with them. Besides, I’d like her to be around someone who can protect her in case Psycho McGee shows up and gets violent.”

Great, this just got better and better. Babysitter and bodyguard.

“I already spoke to Matt and he agreed to give up his room for the next few weeks. He’ll stay at Savannah’s.”

Cash stifled a groan. Looked like the lieutenant had it all planned out. Would’ve been nice if Cash had had a say in the matter before Carson decided to rearrange his life.

He quickly scanned his brain for another option, one that didn’t involve spending the rest of his vacation babysitting. “She can stay with Seth and Dylan,” he suggested. “They have a spare room.”

“And send my baby sister into the lion’s den?” Carson looked horrified. “No way. I know the kind of shit that goes on there. Not that I’m knocking the lifestyle—I was all about the fun and games before I met Holly. But those guys give a whole new meaning to the word player.” He paused. “Well, so do you, but I figured you’re probably not as bad as the tag-teamers.”