Page 37 of Trick's Trap

Gina the caterer was so relieved to hear his news, she cried over the phone.

“You don’t have to worry about her anymore,” Trick assured her as Tahlia danced in front of him, gesturing for him to pass the phone. He held up a finger, asking her to wait.

“I’m going to be keeping a close eye on her. Thank you for watching out for her. Consider your place on the preferred vendor list a lock.”

He handed the handset over as a very loud squeal came over the speaker. Tahlia grinned, covering the speaker for a second. “You won’t regret it. Her food is great.”

Kemper agreed. He also found her reliable, which was why guaranteeing the coveted slot wasn’t a hardship. Although, he’d have done something else for her if she was crap. Anyone who helped other women when they were down deserved a hand.

Tahlia talked, giving Gina a very abbreviated version of events. She didn’t mention being stalked or even hurt, but something told him the savvy woman she was speaking to could read between the lines.

“I’m okay,” Tahlia repeated for the third time, picking at the ice cream with a spoon he’d shoved at her. “Or I will be soon. Yes, I’ll call you as soon as I know what I’m doing next.”

Trick frowned at that last phrase. If Tahlia thought she was going back to catering in New York, she was crazy. He didn’t get a chance to tell her that, though. A few minutes later, she was yawning, her lids growing heavy as she nodded in response to whatever Gina was saying.

He plucked the phone out of her hand when she glanced at him and jumped a little, as if she’d forgotten he was there. “Sorry, Gina. This one has to go to bed now.”

“Well, don’t you keep her up then,” the woman scolded in shades of motherly reproach. “Seriously, take care of her.”

“I intend to,” he promised, ushering Tahlia up out of her seat as he hung up.

Trick helped Tahlia wash up, giving her another painkiller before helping her to the bed. She yawned again and was drifting off when she saw him reach for the buttons on his shirt.

“What are you doing?”

“I told myself if I found you, I wouldn’t let you out of my sight. Now, you can kick me out if you want, but I’ll just move to the couch in the living room. I won’t be far.”

She snorted as he took his shirt off. “What happened to me being able to lock you out of my room?”

“You can do that later—when you’ve healed and you really have something to worry about,” he said, stripping down to his boxers.

Tahlia’s mouth quirked as he climbed into the empty space next to her.

“This bed is big enough for me and five of you. You won’t even know I’m here. So for now, rest. Regain your strength. If you need anything, just ask.”

He took one of the many bed pillows and put it between them.

Tahlia picked it up and tossed it on the floor. “Get on my other side. It hurts less.”

He complied, relaxing when she curled up against him. Several minutes passed in silence. Her deep and even breathing signaled she’d fallen asleep.

“I’m not going to let anyone hurt you,” he whispered.

Trick didn’t have a lot of practice destroying people, but for her, he could learn.

Chapter 18

It took over a week for Tahlia to stop jerking awake when the alarm on Patrick’s watch beeped every morning. It wasn’t always safe to doze in front of strangers, even at the shelters, so she’d developed the habit of sleeping lightly and waking early. Personal belongings had a way of disappearing when she wasn’t watching, even in the safe places.

But the wide fluffy bed in the Caislean’s penthouse suites soon worked its magic. She slept later and later, waking only briefly when Patrick would kiss her goodbye before going to his room to shower and change every morning.

Most of the week was spent in the suite as she slowly recovered her mobility. The doctor, Eric Tam, remarked on her quick recovery.

“I still want you to take it easy,” he ordered as he left the day before. “And don’t be afraid to take the codeine if you need it. Proper pain management is essential to the healing process. Nobody’s going to let you get hooked on anything on my watch.”

Tahlia promised, but truthfully didn’t need the pills. She could take the mild discomfort of her injuries now that she could afford to rest.

Patrick had been wonderful since she arrived. He kept popping in to see her throughout the day, surprising her with little gifts or treats. He ate dinner with her every night and bought her a phone, so she could text him when he was working in his office.

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