Page 61 of Shielding Aubree

It was a heady feeling. A dream that he'd never imagined could be his.

Even better was the way she fell asleep moments later with a relaxed smile on her face.

When his knees stopped shaking and his arms could help him get back up on his feet, Ruben moved into the bathroom and wet a cloth so he could gently sweep it between her legs, soothing the scratches that he'd left behind.

And when he fell back into bed with her, the way she turned and cuddled against him made him feel like he'd made the first real step toward understanding the best way to care for her and help her move beyond the fears that she'd lived with since her accident.

He knew he couldn't fix her, that's not what he was trying to do, but he'd be there, shoulder to shoulder, supporting her on the path toward that healing.

14

It's amazing what you can sneak past people, even law enforcement when you did it a bit at a time. It didn't hurt that you could really buy anything and everything online. Law enforcement agencies wouldn't let people sell their whole uniforms in a 'thrift' setting, but pieces?

That was easy enough.

You just had to have patience.

And he did.

You couldn't do the things that he'd done-

Killed the people he'd killed-

And not have everything planned out.

Infiltrating the New Mexico Police Department offices just took a little of that patience that he owned and a big pair of brass balls.

It started with coffee deliveries.

And donuts.

Then there were the food deliveries that he'd begun walking in dressed up in his full uniform.

When you looked familiar enough, even if people didn't know you by name, they'd give you a... visual pass.

A smile.

A shrug.

People would unconsciously copy the movements and go on with what they were doing.

Misdirection.

And it felt fucking good.

It was how he'd gotten closer to Aubree Cueva.

One delivery at a time.

Add to that the disappointment on the face of the fiery young FBI agent and his little friend when the attack they'd anticipated hadn't happened. The brass seemed less impressed with Special Agent Aparicio's ideas and were just about to send her packing back to San Antonio.

All he had to do was wait and he knew he'd get another chance at closing the door he'd left open.

Officer Cueva walked right past him with a nod in greeting to echo the one he'd given her.

Her memories were still in the dark.

And sooner, rather than later, he'd find the right window to take her.

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