Page 5 of Blindsided

I flip on my porch light in an attempt to get a better look outside through the windows on my door, but the shape of the person standing out there is still murky.

I unlock the door and open it just a crack. Then my heart lurches at who I see outside. “Tilly?”

CHAPTER3

Tilly

Matthew Ellis.

My brother’s best friend and unwitting savior tonight.

I probably should’ve called before I randomly showed up on his doorstep.

Matthew’s head cocks to the side, his dark eyebrows furrowing into a crease. “Tilly? What are you doing here?” He opens the door wider, inviting me in, and I grimace. I can freely admit that this was not my best idea. The entire time I was on the plane to Greensboro, I second-guessed myself. But the one thing that kept running through my head was that I didn’t want to be alone. My lack of friends became very apparent as I tried to come up with anyone else I could stay with instead.

Matthew was the only person I knew I could trust to keep me safe and sane at the same time.

“I’m sorry to barge in like this. As pathetic as it sounds, I didn’t have anyone else to turn to. Des is traveling, and my parents are still on their winter road trip.” I drop my overstuffed duffel down on the floor.

“Matthew? Is everything okay?” A beautiful blonde woman comes walking into the foyer, and my eyes widen.

“Shit, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.” I wave my hand in the air to encompass the two of them as heat moves through my face. I snatch my duffle bag from the floor. “I’ll just go somewhere else.”

I turn to grab the door with jerky movements. God, I’m so stupid. It’s a Friday night. Of course, he would have someone over. Embarrassment and a twinge of jealousy seep through me. The small crush I’ve had on Matthew has been around since I was barely in my teens. It’s something I’ve ignored for the majority of my life, knowing the likelihood of anything happening between us is in the negative.

“Wait, you don’t have to leave.” Matthew’s hand on my bicep stops me in my tracks. Goose bumps race down my arm at the warm contact against my skin. I turn to meet Matthew’s blue-eyed stare and, as usual, find myself a little lost in it.

“Come on. Let’s get you settled, and you can explain what the hell is going on.” Matthew turns to the blonde, the corners of his pouty lips turned down. “I’m sorry, Whitney. It seems I’m needed elsewhere tonight.”

Whitney’s face drops, her mouth widening in shock. “Seriously? That’s it? Some teenybopper comes in here and you’re willing to throw away a sure thing?”

I bristle at her assessment of me. I’m twenty-nine, for Christ’s sake. I don’t look that young.

“Seeing as how she’s practically family to me, yeah. She’s going to take precedence over a woman I met a few hours ago.”

Whitney scoffs and grabs her purse in a huff. She sneers at me as she exits Matthew’s house, slamming her shoulder into mine as she goes.

My eyebrows raise as I turn back to look at Matthew. “Lovely choice for the evening, Matty.” The childhood nickname slides off my tongue like butter. I haven’t called him that since I was a kid.

“Dodged a bullet there. Thanks.” He grins. I roll my eyes, doing my best to keep my smirk from showing. He turns more serious. “What’s going on, Tills?”

“I…” A lump sticks in my throat. I don’t think I’ve allowed myself to truly think about the events that led me here. Instead of answering, I sigh. “I’m going to need a stiff drink and a comfortable place to sit.”

Matthew chuckles. “You got it.”

* * *

The weight of the glass tumbler in my hand grounds me more than is probably acceptable. The burning sip of bourbon relaxes me further, and the openness of Matthew’s face allows me to finally talk about what happened tonight.

I tell him about the photos and the police investigation. I explain why I came to him instead of anyone else. I even let it slip how scared I was in that moment, and the only thing I could think about was being with someone familiar. Someone I can trust with my fear and know they won’t share it with the world.

If I ignore the crush I’ve hidden for years, Matthew is the closest thing I have to a second brother. I knew, without a doubt, he’d take me in and make me feel safe. With Desmond and my parents unavailable, he was the next logical choice.

When I called my parents at the airport to tell them what happened, they tried to convince me to stay at their house. As much as I appreciated their offer and knew they were over-the-top worried about me, there was no way I was going to stay in my childhood home alone. Talk about fodder for my nightmares. My anxiety could’ve come up with a million different scenarios. Each one worse than the last.

After I finish telling Matthew my story, he scoots over to my side of the couch and pulls me into his chest. His sandalwood cologne overwhelms my senses, and my arms instinctually wrap around his waist.

“I’m so sorry, Tills. Whoever this fucker is deserves to rot in hell,” he growls. His chest rumbles under my cheek, and I grit my teeth to keep from nuzzling into him like a cat.

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