Page 11 of His to Protect

He stole my hopes and my dreams with one slap.

When I went home the next day to cry on my mother’s shoulder and ask for advice, she dealt a crushing blow when she admitted to me that she’d just been diagnosed with leukemia. Because of my parents’ poor retirement planning, she didn’t have any money left to cover her medical bills.

She begged me to stay with my husband in order to help her.

Naive and desperate, I wanted to believe Kevin when he apologized, wrapped me in his arms, and promised it would never happen again.

But Declan, the man who assessed me and stood away from me tonight, careful to stay out of my personal space as soon as he clocked the bruise on my cheek and glanced away, didn’t seem to be that sort of man.

His offer to feed me, and taking it upon himself to make me a lunch, suggested the same.

The fact that he walked me to my car and offered me a place to stay confirmed it.

He was not a man like Kevin—who was truly no man at all.

Declan was better.

He appeared to be a man in every sense of the word, completely insane physique aside. Not that that wasn’t enjoyable to look at, with his tight shirt stretched so thin across his back I could see his muscles flex with every movement.

Plus, I had never seen a man’s backside look so good tucked firmly into a pair of faded and well-worn jeans.

Perhaps if I were more daring, if I didn’t have so many secrets and so many piles of insecurities built up inside me, I would have taken him up on his offer. If I was staying longer, if exhaustion wasn’t soaking into my limbs from the delicious and belly-filling food, I might have considered it. As it was, I only planned on staying in Michigan another night, since Declan could now identify me if it ever came to that.

I had already wasted enough time, but I had been enjoying my time in Latham Hills. I liked that I could walk the streets and browse through shops without a timeline because I needed to be home. For the first time in years, I was enjoying myself, despite constantly feeling like I had to look over my shoulder.

It was time to go, though. In a week, Kevin would know I hadn’t gone to the spa I told him I was going to, and he’d realize I wasn’t returning home. He’d come looking for me then, and I wanted to be long gone before he did.

With a new plan solidified, I pulled into my parking space at the Extended Stay Lodge on the northern fringe of Latham Hills. It was a ramshackle place with chipped bricks and old paint peeling from the outside walls.

The interior wasn’t much better, and I desperately wanted to go purchase my own set of sheets.

I still held out hope, though, that I would soon be in a new place, an apartment slightly better than the hotel, so I saved my money.

I might not own anything besides my dog and my car and the few belongings I brought with me, but I did have a brain and a college degree.

I did have a plan on how to start over once I was in Canada, far past the border.

It was that thought that made my lips tilt into a smile as I pulled a snoring Boomer from the front passenger side of the car.

Grunting as I tugged, I looked up at the hotel and froze just as Boomer let out an annoyed yawn.

“Shh,” I hissed and looked back up at the second-floor walkway. All the rooms could be entered from the outside, and I quickly counted the doors from the stairway inward, hoping I wasn’t seeing what I thought I was.

The door to my room was ajar and a low light leaked from the opening.

Ice flooded my veins and I shivered.

“Boomer,” I whispered and gave him a firm tug on his leash, pulling him out of my car.

I looked around to see if there was anyone outside, or any cars that looked like they didn’t belong, but I couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The same run-down vehicles that had been there all week were still there. My car was the only one that stood out.

I swallowed while I watched the blinds in my hotel room for movement. I already knew the front office was closed. I had no one to ask to check on my room for me.

The business card that Declan handed me just a while ago was in my back pocket.

He seemed like the kind of man who would come to a woman’s rescue, but if there was someone inside my room, it could take Declan too long to get to me.

Besides, he was a nice stranger, but he was still a stranger. I couldn’t pull him into my drama.

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