Page 19 of Guarded from Treachery

“Dante and Erik will be back in a couple of hours,” I reply quickly. “And considering the urgency of your case, we’ll meet to discuss it first thing in the morning. Have the rest of the team call into the meeting. So I should have an answer for you tomorrow. I know it’s not ideal. I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s alright.” Isla shifts on the couch, moving the tiniest bit closer to me. Her knees brush mine, settling off a little flare of heat across my skin.

No. It’s not the time.

Not only is Isla in trouble and a potential client, she’s also pregnant. Not just pregnant, but she doesn’t know how it happened. She needs someone to protect her. That’s all.

But as much as I try to tamp down my attraction towards her, it’s near impossible.

“I wasn’t expecting you to give me an answer tonight,” she adds. “Well. Maybe I was hoping. But it makes sense.”

She looks so sad. Discouraged. And so damn vulnerable.

“You could stay here tonight,” I offer. “So you can meet Dante and Erik in the morning. And once we have our meeting, we can let you know right away. We have an apartment here that we use for clients. It’s fully furnished, so you could stay there.”

“Oh, Matt.” With her free hand, she brushes at the dampness on her cheeks. Her other hand is still wrapped around mine. “I wish I could. But I have work in the morning. It’s a new job and I haven’t started earning PTO yet, so I really have to go. Especially with everything… I need money. Insurance.”

Dammit. The absolute last thing I want is for Isla to drive all the way home in the dark, arriving home well after midnight.

“It’s late,” I protest. “By the time you get on the road, it’ll be almost nine. What if something—” My mouth slams shut with an audible snap. Do I really want to scare her any more than she is already?

“I know. But I don’t have a choice. I already missed work two weeks ago. But I’ll be careful. I’ll park right by my front door and have my phone ready to dial 911. Plus, I got more pepper spray.” Her lips lift in a wobbly smile. “So I should be okay.”

Shit.

This feelsverywrong.

I don’t want her to go. But I can’t make her stay.

Without thinking, I rub my thumb across her chilled hand to warm it. “Will you call me? Every half hour? Just so I know you’re okay? And once you get home, too?”

She stares at me with an unreadable expression on her face. “You really want me to?”

“Yes.” Shit. My ears go hot. Was that horribly presumptuous? Asking her to call me like we’re dating instead of two people who barely know each other?

Except it doesn’t feel that way.

And the thought of Isla all alone makes me feel sick inside.

“I mean,” I amend, “if you don’t mind. But if it’s asking too much…”

Her tight smile softens to a more genuine one. “It’s not. I would feel a lot better, honestly. If you’re sure I won’t keep you up? Because it’ll be pretty late?—”

As if I could sleep without knowing she’s safe?

Before I can stop myself, I give her the unvarnished truth. “Isla. There’s no way I’m sleeping until I know you’re home. And safe. In fact, I’m going to send you with extra pepper spray. And some special door alarms you can set up; you don’t have to install them, just push them against the door. Plus, I have these bars you can set in your windows to keep anyone from opening them. It might take a few minutes to set everything up once you get back, but if you’re not sure how to do it, just call me and I can walk you through it.”

As I finish speaking, I belatedly realize I just took presumptuous to a new level. My cheeks warm. “Sorry,” I start. “I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Matt.” She moves another inch closer, her knees bumping into mine again. Her voice throbs with emotion. “Thank you. For protecting me in the parking lot. For letting me come tonight. For listening. Believing me. Offering to help. And all those things you mentioned, I would love to use all of them. Just… thanks. For everything.”

“You don’t have to thank me.”

“But I want to.” Her other hand comes to rest on mine. “Coming here is the first time I’ve felt safe in weeks. And I know you can’t make any guarantees, but it’s the first time I’ve felt hopeful, too. That’s because of you.”

Oh.

No matter what the team decides, there’s no way I’m letting this go. And I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her.

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