Page 20 of Redemption

“You’ve been here for almost two days and barely said two words. I’ve done most of the talking, and I’ve never seen you smile.”

“I’ve sm—”

“You haven’t,” Mia corrected her. “If I didn’t know where you came from and why you were here, I would have assumed you were a friend of Delta, brought home to recoup after two busted legs.”

“That happens?”

“Sometimes. But look at you: ready to jump up and shower.” Mia grinned.

“I barely know him.”

“Either way, he’s a good one to barely know.”

“He is?” Victoria scooted to the edge of the bed, letting her legs dangle. “I mean, not that I’m askingabouthim. It’s just nice to know he is what he seems.”

“He is.”

Victoria’s mind raced, and she couldn’t wrap her mind around why she even cared—other than the obvious. He was an attractive man, and he had an accent that could stop a woman in her tracks if the guy—thebloke—opened his mouth. But that was that. It wasn’t as if he’d asked her on a date. No, he’d rescued her from her rapist and kept her from killing him. She should hate him…

A knock on the door pulled Victoria out of the clouds. There was Ryder, cracking the door with a winning smile and eyes that latched on to her.Oh, whoa. Victoria’s heart stalled.

“Well, come on in, Ryder,” Mia drawled. “I thought I asked you to wait.”

He finally tore their gazes apart and gave Mia a saccharine grin. “Waiting wasn’t working for me anymore, Mama Mia.”

“Ask me how much I care what works for you, handsome.”

“I will later, right after I beg for your forgiveness. Can I come in?”

“You’re already in.” She raised her eyebrows, looking pointedly at the carpet where he stood inside what might have well been a green zone he wasn’t flagged to enter. “She’d like food, privacy, and a shower. Think you could give her a few minutes?”

“Think I could do a lot of things.” He stepped further into the room as if angling to get a better look at Victoria. His silent inquisition was altogether unnerving and somehow reassuring, though his emerald green eyes darkened. Whatever he found while searching her face, she wasn’t sure he was pleased.

“Is listening one of them?” Mia pushed off the wall.

“Victoria?” Ryder slowly lifted his eyebrows. “A word, love?”

The nickname ran over her like flames licking across a brush fire. A generic nickname, she was sure, but she’d heard it once before falling off his lips, and she’d just about fallen.

Weren’t people like her—assault victims, due to be put in a grouped category—supposed to be unable to feel and think like the hot flash that just ran through her? She was feeling and thinking in a way that caught her off guard.

She nodded since her voice was caught in her throat.

“I’ll be back.” Mia smoothed a hand over the edge of the bed. “If you need anything, Ryder can find me. Or you can get out of bed. Your call.”

“Thanks,” he said.

Mia ignored him and waited until Victoria gave a quick nod.

“Don’t forget to put some food in your stomach—something more than that juice.”

“Mia can cook better than anyone I know,” Ryder offered. “Bet that’s hand-squeezed.”

“It is, and Ryder’s kissing my cute butt because I explicitly told him to wait downstairs.” Mia crossed her arms and gave him one of the best mom voices Victoria had ever heard.

“Aw, c’mon now.” He gave Mia an apologetic head tilt that seemed genuine. “You know I love you.”

“Did you hear how thick he laid that accent on? Doesn’t work for me, buddy. I’m immune to your charm.”

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