Page 3 of Blade
Blow? He wants me to blow my nose into his hand? Hell no. I reach for the tissues with my good hand, but he captures my wrist with the hand wrapped around me and lowers my arm to my side. “Blow, Little one.”
I do as I’m told. My thoughts are rampant. First of all, gross. But overriding that emotion is how unbelievably kind he is. I don’t know any man alive who would take care of me like this. Let alone one I just met.
He tosses the tissues on the seat beside him and cups my face. “How did you get here, honey?”
“Uber.”
He blows out a breath. “Good. I was worried you drove.”
“I don’t own a car.” I wince as those words leave my mouth. How the hell could I possibly pay his fees if I can’t even afford a car?
“Why didn’t you call? I could have come to you or picked you up if you needed. You should be resting in bed.”
I lower my gaze. I obviously don’t fit in here. I’m sure he doesn’t get clients coming in off the street who look homeless. I’m not actually unhoused, but I look it, especially today. “I’m sorry.” I sniffle. “I shouldn’t have bothered you. It was stupid.” I start to push off his solid thigh with my good arm so I can stand and run from my embarrassment, but he stops me with a hand on my thigh.
“Stay, Little one. Talk to me. I know you didn’t come here because you happened to be in the neighborhood. Tell me what’s on your mind.”
I don’t know why he keeps calling me Little one. It’s an odd endearment. I guess it fits, though. He’s almost a foot taller than me, in addition to being broad and built like a brick building.
I also realize he’s not dressed for the setting, either. He’s wearing jeans, a tight black T-shirt with his company logo on the chest pocket, and black boots. Now that I’m looking directly at him, I start breathing heavily.
I don’t think I’ve ever been this attracted to a man in my life. He’s probably almost twenty years older than me. He’s got this silver fox thing going that surely melts women’s panties. I think his beard is prematurely white, though. It just adds to his appeal. I doubt he’s over fifty.
I lick my cracked lips. They’re sore from taking a hard slap to my mouth when I was attacked. “I should go. Forget I was here.”
He shakes his head, his hand firm on my thigh. “Not going to happen, honey.”
I look down and sigh heavily. The fact that he won’t let me go makes him even sexier. He needs to stop being so attractive. I can’t think when he’s so good-looking.
Granted, he was equally as intriguing yesterday, but I assumed my brain was addled from lack of sleep and being in pain. Apparently not.
“Did something happen this morning, June?”
I draw in a breath and slowly nod, still staring at my lap. “I was on the news last night and this morning. They put my face on the television.”
“Yeah, I saw. I’m sorry. It sucks that the media doesn’t check with people before putting their picture up.” He tucks a finger under my chin and tips my head back again. His brow is now deeply furrowed. “Are you worried about your attacker finding you? He won’t. I promise. After the stunts he and his friends pulled, his bail is going to be set far too high for anyone to post it.”
I swallow. “I’m not worried about him,” I whisper. I take a deep breath and look around his office again. “I…” I lick my lips again and wince. “I can’t afford your services. I’ll go to a women’s shelter. I’ve been to one before. They will help me. It’s what they do.”
Blade’s entire body stiffens. His hand grips my hip tighter. “Not a chance, June.” He lifts my chin. “Not. A. Chance. In. Hell. Tell me what or who you’re hiding from. I will protect you.”
“I can’t pay you,” I murmur.
He continues to hold my chin. “June, if you mention money one more time, my head will explode, and that will be messy. You’re not going to pay me for anything ever. If you weren’t injured and in obvious pain, I’d be inclined to spank you now for repeatedly ignoring my question. Who’s looking for you, June?”
I gasp and hold my breath. His expression is deadly serious. Intense. He said a lot of words, but I’m stuck on one in particular. Did he really say he would spank me?
I shudder.
Spank?
I should be horrified. After all, the man I’m running from abused me. The mere mention of hitting me should have me jerking free of Blade and running out the door.
Instead, I’m gripping my thighs together because the idea of Blade spanking me makes my pussy flutter. That’s confusing and irrational. I haven’t had a sexual thought in years. I can’t even remember when I last felt attractive. I didn’t know it was possible. I assumed I was dead inside. That part of me permanently ruined.
I haven’t even made eye contact with a man in years. It’s been more than three years since I’ve done either—feel sexual or look a man in the eye. I stopped doing both long before I left my ex.
Blade does things to me. It started the moment he sat next to me at the police station yesterday to keep me company. I was waiting to identify the man who attacked me two nights ago in a lineup. He was kind and patient and gave me every ounce of his attention.
