Page 94 of The Safest Place She Knows

“Thanks, Ford.Bye.”

She hung up andstared at her phone. Four minutes after she called Ford, an unknownnumber flashed on her screen. She sighed and picked it up,answering the call. “Hello?”

“Hello,pretty one. I hear you wanted to get in touch with me.”

Her contrarynature rose up. “Just wanted to make sure I hadn’t caused anylasting emotional trauma.”

His tone wasamused. “No trauma. I do think of you often.”

She didn’t knowhow to say what came next. She was silent.

“Was theresomething you wanted to tell me, pretty one?”

“Uh, no. Notreally. I am sure that things will work themselves out.” Her jawflexed, and she gritted out, “Excuse me.”

She threw upand then wiped her face with the wet wipes she kept next toher.

A voice wasstill coming from the phone she thought she hung up. “Zelle?Zelle? Are you all right?”

She exhaledslowly and brought the phone to her head again. “I am so sorry. Iseem to have caught something about a month ago. It has beenparticularly difficult.”

Leashedexcitement vibrated in his tone. “Where are you?”

“At a friend’shouse. Where are you? I will come to you.”

“The MonarchHotel.”

“Fine. I willget a car and be there in half an hour.”

“You are notdriving?”

“No. I will usean app.” She pulled up the app, keyed in the address, and the carwas four minutes away. “The car will be here in four minutes.”

“Fine. Stayon the phone with me until you get here.”

“Um. Fine. Whatdo you want to talk about?”

“What isyour favourite colour?”

She picked upher backpack and turned off the light, locking the door and hangingthe keys on the hook that she and Lya had agreed on. She walked tothe end of the drive and met the car. “I am in a blue SUV.” Sherattled off the license plate when prompted. “My favourite colouris dark purple.”

She spoke withthe driver, and the woman smiled and headed off to the hotel.

She answeredquestions about herself, her preferences, and her occupation untilthey pulled up at the hotel. Zelle pulled her phone out and tippedeighty percent. She grabbed her bag and stepped out, walkingstraight into Kaiyun’s arms.

He held hertight for three minutes in the turnaround area of the hotel, and noone yelled at them or told them to move on.

A hand pulledher bag away, and one of the two men who had participated in thegame by stalking her was there and gave her a respectful nod as hetook charge of her one piece of luggage.

Kaiyun tiltedher head up and blinked. “You are really not well.”

“I am reallynot well. If I thought I could get through this without you, Iwould not be here.” She swallowed. “How long are you in town?”

He paused andsmiled. “My travel plans are not fixed.”

She nodded andstared at the front of his suit. She inhaled, and her body was sorelieved that her knees buckled. He picked her up and carried herinto the hotel, murmuring softly to her as staff jumped around toclear the path to the private elevator.

The bodyguardsopened the doors, and Kaiyun entered and turned around to keep herin his arms as the doors closed, and they rose to the top of thebuilding.

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