Page 46 of Grave Peril

Chapter 12

Rip trusted that Hunter would take care of matters and see that Ashlee was safe. He had Lela to focus on, and her situation was going to take all of his attention.

Lela stood beside him at the hospital entrance. “Suddenly, I’m exhausted.” She squinted into the sun. “We’ve been up all night.”

“You’ll get plenty of sleep once I get you back to the hotel,” Rip said. “I’ll feel a lot better once we’re secured in the room.”

Lela sighed. “I feel like nowhere is safe.”

Rip took her hand. “You’re safe with me.” He started walking away from the facility. “I’m going to skip calling a cab. It’s best not to be too predictable.”

“We’re walking back to the hotel?”

“No, of course not. We can catch transportation at the West Bellfort station, then change to the Metro Rail for the rest of the trip.” It was easier to blend in with the commuters. A cab could be traced, but a ride on the rail was anonymous.

It had been a rough night, and Lela looked tired. The metro stopped close to the hotel. Once inside the building, Rip didn’t waste time getting her up to the room. In the elevator, Lela looked down, remembering to avoid the cameras.

Rip put his arm around her, and she leaned against his chest. He wanted to hold her tighter…a lot tighter. But he resisted. If something happened between them, it would be after she’d had some rest. Although there was no chance of anything happening anyway.

When the elevator opened, Rip kept his arm around Lela to guide her to the room. The door clicked shut and Rip flipped the deadbolt. He was tired too, and supposed that even bodyguards had to sleep.

Lela used the bathroom first to get cleaned up. Her clothes were unsalvageable. That much blood didn’t wash out. So she returned to the room wearing a long shirt. Rip wondered what she had on underneath, but he looked away.

“I have to crash,” Lela said. “I can’t hold my eyes open.”

“Sleep as long as you need to. I’ll be on watch.”

Lela yawned. “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“I can take some catnaps. Don’t worry about it.” Rip watched her crawl into the big bed and settle under the covers. He longed to snuggle in beside her, but it wasn’t going to happen.

Rip washed up, and when he came out, Lela was asleep. He sat on the sofa and listened to her steady breathing for a few minutes. It was a comfort that she was able to find peace for a few hours. She didn’t deserve what she’d been through.

He rummaged for a Coke, then poured it into a glass and mixed it with a tiny bottle of bourbon. While sipping, he contemplated Lela’s circumstances and racked his brain about where to go from here.

An hour later, Rip was still awake. He quietly pulled back the curtain and watched Lela sleep. She looked delectable in the middle of the bed, with her hair falling over the pillow.

His thoughts went to the sight of her in the long nightshirt. A vision of removing it, so he could see her bare skin underneath, haunted him. He craved running his hands over her curves, and ached to cup her luscious breasts in his hands.

Turned on, and with no satisfactory relief available, Rip folded out the sofa and went to bed. He would have given anything to hold Lela naked against him, just to have her close. But a pang of guilt riddled him. He didn’t deserve her.

He’d loved before, so long ago. But he’d failed to protect his love. Isabel had died. Now Lela’s life was in grave peril, and he had no right to indulge his personal needs. His sole aim was to protect her, but there was no guarantee that all would turn out well.

He fingered the cross around his neck and thought of Isabel. He scanned memories of her, of being together, and how he’d felt. But he couldn’t quite recall how she looked, couldn’t picture her face. It had been so long. But she would always hold a special place in his heart; that wouldn’t fade.

Then Rip’s thoughts went to Lela, and he listened to her turn over in the bed, hoping her dreams were peaceful. His heart ached, as he hated seeing her on the run, tired and afraid. He’d have to do something about that…soon.

As he drifted off, Lela’s lovely face was his last vision, and his body responded to his need for her. Yet he did nothing to relieve the agony. The discomfort was a reminder, and forced him to keep duty as his priority.

He’d had no justifiable reason for his past failure to save a woman he’d cared for—a fact he had to live with. But he swore that he wouldn’t need any excuse in the future. He would save Lela. He wasn’t sure how it would play out, but it wasn’t in his nature to quit.

*****

That afternoon, Rip was up first. He had showered and dressed before Lela stirred. “What time is it?”

“Just past two,” Rip said. “We slept the day away.” It had been dawn before Lela closed her eyes. The rest must have been good for her, because she looked refreshed.

Lela wadded the pillow and stuffed it under her cheek. “Mmm, it’s so comfortable in here. I don’t want to get up.” She smiled. “It’s weird, though, to sleep in the daytime.”

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