Page 55 of Dangerous Love

“Don’t worry, babe. I’ve got you.”

I flinched at the endearment. Though I knew it was completely harmless, a sting of guilt pinched my chest as my brain tried to trick me into thinking that I somehow belonged to Riley.

Not anymore.I closed my eyes against the glass window, my shoulders rocking with every turn of the bus, and when it came to a halt, I braced for my next move. I grabbed my backpack and dashed out, my eyes scanning the terminal for any signs of my work colleague. Right as I was about to sit on the bench and regroup, his voice called me out of my daze.

“Hey.”

I jumped to my feet and stepped towards him. He opened his arms for a hug, his eyes smiling as he motioned me closer. I froze, hesitation coursing through my body, but when he grabbed me into a bear hug, I relaxed against him. “Thanks so much. I didn’t know who else to call.”

“I’m glad you called me. Let’s go home.”

Home.He guided me towards a massive dark-grey truck, the vehicle worth at least sixty thousand. The guy had taste for a Coles employee. “She’s beautiful.” I ran my finger over the frame as he unlocked the door with a click of a button.

He tapped the roof, a massive grin on his face. “Yes, she is. Drives great too.”

As soon as I’d stepped into the truck, Michael adjusted the air-con until the temperature was close to perfect. Every five minutes, he asked whether I was comfortable and what kind of radio station I wanted to listen to. Though he was beyond awesome, my brain struggled with knowing how to manage hisawesomenesswhile my heart was smashed into a million pieces.

You have no choice, sister.

The drive took less than ten minutes. When we parked, a modern townhouse welcomed us, its dark-grey walls matching the black windowsills. Michael shuffled to the front door, but instead of shoving a key into a lock like a normal person, he keyed in some numbers on an electronic pad, and within a second, the door unlocked with a swoosh sound. My eyes grew wide. “What is that?”

He laughed. “My family’s well off—let’s just say.”

“Right.” I whistled as we entered the place. High ceilings, a modern open kitchen, and pristine décor that made our local display homes look like shelters.

“Here’s my humble abode.” Michael pointed to the space around us. “And you’re welcome to stay here as long as you want to.”

Gratitude tickled me. With Michael, there was a freshness to the way he spoke to me, the way he looked at me. To him, I was the hardworking girl. Not the broken lost puppy. Maybe it was time to leave the past behind and start over.

“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

He grabbed my hand and dragged me to a set of stairs. “Let me show you the bedroom.” When I froze, my feet stuck in refusal mode, Michael’s face softened. His fingers laced with mine, right before he let them go with a smile. “Your bedroom, Sienna. All by yourself.”

I exhaled the breath that had choked me. Not that Michael wasn’t a Greek god, but my heart was still healing from Riley, and I’d definitely need time before I was ready to even contemplate anything more with him. “I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t think you’re great.” My cheeks grew hotter than a summer’s day in North Queensland. “I’m still hurt and confused about Riley, and…”

Michael pressed a finger to my mouth. “Babe, relax. I’m no one’s rebound. If and when anything happens between us, it will be a fresh start. In the meantime, come and check out your room.”

I nodded, gratitude once again oozing through my pores. Michael got me, and he felt safe. Safer than I’d felt in the last few days if I were to be honest with myself.

Within a few seconds, we stood by the threshold of his guest room. My mouth dropped open, my brain struggling to take in the perfect picture in front of me. Purple bedsheets, flower art pinned to the wall, and even a lavender dressing gown complemented the room like it had waited for me since the beginning. This wasn’t any spare room. This was a woman’s space. I took a step in, my eyes studying all the details. I ran a finger over the frames, the familiar style not quite sinking in. “Whose room is this?”

He moved past me and opened the door of a small en suite. A private bathroom with a toilet and shower greeted me, the white porcelain brighter than an ad for expensive teeth bleaching. Clearly, no one had used it in ages. I switched the light on. Multiple empty shelves were just waiting for my belongings to fill them. I turned and gave Michael a quizzical look.

“My roommate. She and I had acomplicatedrelationship. But don’t worry. She moved out a few months back, so all this is yours while you’re here.”

I smiled. This was more than I’d hoped for. I’d have been grateful for one night on a couch. “I’m speechless.. Thank you heaps.”

He glanced at my backpack. “Do you have other things we need to pick up, or are we just gonna start from scratch?”

I ran a hand over my face, the thought that I should probably let my brother know I was safe niggling at me. “I don’t know yet.” I settled on the bed, my exhausted body appreciative of the soft mattress. “Do you mind if I make a call?”

Michael shook his head. “Absolutely not, babe. You take your time and come and find me downstairs when you’re ready.”

As soon as he’d left, I took the phone out of the bag, my fingers running over the hard case. There was no way I could stomach hearing his voice right now, but I wasn’t a complete bitch either, nor did I want the whole state running a missing person’s hunt because my brother had gone mad looking for me. I pressed the name of the only person I could talk to right now, settling my gut into knowingthiswas my best bet.

The dial tone rang less than three times before Grace’s voice answered. “Sienna?”

I sighed. “Grace, I just don’t want you orhimto worry, okay? But I’m not coming back.”

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