Page 7 of Safe Haven

And that’s fine. If he keeps me from ending up dead, he can be as much of a sadist as he wants to be. Not like I was planning on sexing him up.

Anymore.

It was easy to imagine when I thought I’d never see him again, but now that he’s going to be a part of my everyday life for the foreseeable future?

No more fantasizing about Maddox, regardless of his sexual proclivities.

Carrying along my trusty bat, I go to my room, climb under the covers, and wait, listening intently for any sign of my new bodyguard’s return.

And I’m a little pissed that the first hint of his arrival is the sound of his big body sliding through the window. Why in the heck didn’t the window make the same noise as before? That was what alerted me the first time he came in.

“Are you asleep?” Maddox’s question is incredulous. Shocked even.

I frown at my betraying, squeaky, now un-squeaky, window. “No, but I plan to be very soon.”

“Why are you in bed? If somebody broke in, you’d have to fight your way out from under the covers.” Maddox is standing there staring at me, his hulking figure gigantic as he towers over me in the dark.

I sit up, tired and irritated, and, if I’m completely honest, disappointed he’s ruined my primary fantasy. “I brought my bat.” I lift it up as evidence. “And I knew you wouldn’t leave if you were worried I was in danger.”

That seems to shut him up. Maddox stands there a second longer then turns to my dresser, hefting his duffle onto the surface.

I really wish he would let me turn on the light so I could see what all he’s pulling out of his Mary Poppins bag, but I guess I’ll have to wait until morning to see what’s now lined across the surface of my furniture.

“What happens now?” I’ve asked myself the same question a thousand times and it feels good to have someone else offering up an answer. I’m tired of being the only one figuring this shit out.

Maddox turns to face me, coming close enough I can almost make out his serious expression. “Now you can go to sleep.” There’s a clicking sound I can’t identify, but then I catch the dull metal glint of the pistol in his hand. “But FYI, I sleep with something a little more dangerous than a baseball bat.”

THREE

MADDOX

Circling to the other side of the queen-size mattress, I sit on the edge and begin unlacing my boots. “So if someone comes through that door or the window, let me handle them.”

Audrey’s eyes stay on me as she pulls the covers tight to her chin. “You’re staying in here?” The question isn’t outraged or upset. It’s breathless and carries just a hint of something my dick wants to identify as excitement, which is strange since my dick isn’t in the habit of noticing shit like that.

“Would you rather me be a whole room away when someone comes through that window like I did?”

“When? Why did you saywhenand notif?” Now she sounds upset. “Ifsomeone comes through the window.”

“Do you really want me to answer that?” I will, but I’m not sure it’s what she’s gonna want to hear.

Audrey stares at me a second longer. Then, she grabs one of the pillows from against the headboard, smashes it against her face, and screams into the fiber fill, the sound muffled but still identifiable.

When she pauses to take a breath, I yank the item away, replacing it with my hand over her mouth. “I thought I made it pretty clear we need to act like this is a normal night.”

Audrey grabs my wrist, dragging my palm away from her lips. “Yeah. I know.”

That has my brows lifting. “Screaming into your pillow is normal?”

Audrey lifts her chin, like she thinks I’m judging her. “I’ve had a really rough nine months.”

It’s starting to seem like rough might be an understatement. I was there the day Savannah, her sister Sadie, and their friend Lydia, rescued Audrey. I’d hoped her escape from an abusive husband would mean the end of her suffering, but I know firsthand bad men don’t generally give up easily. Especially when it’s something they want. And I can’t imagine many men wouldn’t want the pretty blonde I’m about to spend the night with.

Granted, I don’t know her well, but so far Audrey seems brave and fearless and strong. In addition to having a tiny violent streak that’s cute as hell.

“Everything’s going to be okay.” I have no qualms about making the claim. I’m confident in not only my ability, but also the company I work for. Whatever issues Audrey is having should be easy enough to clear up. Then she can go on her merry little way and I can go back to doing what I love.

Putting very bad men into very deep holes.

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