Page 85 of Red

“It’s a rat hole. You let her stay here?”

“Let her?” Ian huffed a laugh. “You said to leave her be, just watch to be sure none of the old Bertucci crew harassed her.”

Turned out Bertucci wasn’t missed by anyone in the city, but members of his crew might be looking for payback if they weren’t happy with their new boss. And with Melinda out of Erik’s reach at the moment, she could still be targeted.

“Why isn’t she using the money I put in her account to get a better place?” Erik asked, knowing Ian wouldn’t have the answers. Once her things had been delivered to the apartment, she had cut all communication off.

“Aren’t you going to go up there?” Ian asked when Erik leaned over the console to peer up at the building.

“No.” Erik eased back in his seat and slid his sunglasses on. “Let’s go.”

“Erik.” Ian paused a beat. “Get up there and talk to her.”

“You know, you’re getting a mouth on you I’m not sure I like.” Erik tapped the gear shift. “Let’s go.”

Ian shook his head with a heavy sigh but threw the car into drive. “Between the two of you, I’m not sure who is more stubborn or willful.”

“Ian…” Erik warned.

“Seriously. She hasn’t left that apartment since she moved in except to go to the market down the street. She hasn’t been to her grandmother’s. Grams has gone to her a few times, but that’s it.” A few men were contracted under Erik’s new business. Ian was in charge of putting them to work on security, mostly watching Melinda for the time being.

“She’s better off this way.” Erik said, more for his one benefit. He wouldn’t force her.

“Better off? Erik, that girl hated you—despised you—and somehow you managed to worm your ass into her heart, and then what do you do? You toss her ass out. Better off?” Ian shook his head, apparently deciding not to back off just yet. “She should run from you. She should sign those fucking papers and never see you again. But she hasn’t, and why do you think that is?”

“When you stop this car, I’m going to kill you,” Erik threatened, but it was empty—and they both knew it.

“She didn’t fucking sign them because she doesn’t want to. You gave her a choice. And she didn’t sign them,” Ian pointed out, jerking the car around the corner. At least he was heading home where Erik could get a stiff drink.

After several heated moments passed, Erik readjusted his seat again. The car was too small. He couldn’t get comfortable with all the tension taking up the space.

“Are you done?” Erik asked, breaking through the silence.

Ian gave him an annoyed glance. “Yeah.”

“Good.” Erik rolled his shoulders. “When we get home, I want Grams brought to the house.”

Chapter 33

The car sprang to life with the twist of the key. Melinda sat back against her seat and looked out at the road. Her car had been dropped off weeks ago, but she hadn’t had any use for it.

Until today.

Her grandmother had called, telling her to come to dinner.

Quit hiding and come to dinner!It hadn’t been an invitation, but an order.

She hadn’t been hiding. She’d been working. The excuse had worked for the first few weeks after moving out of Grams’ house and into her apartment, but even Melinda could see the holes growing in the excuse. Leaving the apartment meant seeing the outside world. Everyone out there was alive. They breathed, and their hearts beat, and they were happy. Melinda couldn’t face them yet. Not even after so many weeks had passed. Every day her thoughts traveled to Erik. To the fluttering of her heart his touch could cause, the way her breath caught when she found him staring at her.

It was twisted. She knew that, but for the brief time she’d had it, she’d held his attention, his care, at times, she’d even convinced herself it could have been love. But all of that was gone now.

With cleansing breaths, Melinda made her way through town and pulled into her grandmother’s drive. The same way that had led her to meeting Erik. She parked outside the garage and made her way to the door.

The doorbell rang inside the house, but there were no footsteps.

Melinda tried the door. It was open, so she let herself in.

“Grams?” she called, walking down the hall. The light in the kitchen was on, and the warm smells of dinner simmering lured her forward. “I hope you aren’t going to a lot of trouble.” Melinda hadn’t eaten a full meal in weeks, but she didn’t have the energy to dive into a full Grams meal either.

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