“Yeah.” She wasn’t, but she was alive; that’s what mattered. “It was Smith and Jones. The fake cops from this morning and who ran me off the road.”
“I noticed. The height was kind of a giveaway.” His hands ran over her body as if assessing her himself, stopping on her face which had taken a brunt of the damage besides her throat. Payton couldn’t hide the wince when he found the spot Jones had hit more than once on her cheek. That was probably going to leave a mark.
Alex’s hand lingered there. His thumb stroking over her skin and sending little tingles shooting through her body. She felt paralyzed. Not wanting to move as he touched her so passionately. It robbed her of breath. Payton felt herself falling, wanting to burrow into his touch like a kitten seeking his affection. No, he didn’t like her like that. It was just concern that she’d been hurt. She was reading too much into it.
“I’m fine,” she said stepping away. “Jones got away, though. We need to integrate Smith. He said something about his boss wanting me brought in.”
Alex’s gaze turned hard before he turned to look where Smith had fallen; only now he wasn’t there. He was gone too, like he’d never been there before.
“For such a big guy, he moves silently,” she remarked before sitting down on the couch to catch her breath.
“Do you have any idea what they want with you?”
Payton shook her head. “But Jones was intent on getting the envelope my dad left too.”
“You’re sure?”
Payton gave him the stink eye for even questioning her. “I’m sure. Not that I’m ungrateful, but what are you doing here?”
“I came to apologize. Colin and I have been looking for you since you left. Finally, the precinct told us you were headed home.”
“And they told you where I lived?” she asked skeptically; her precinct would never give out her information.
“Colin used his connections to look it up.”
Well, that made her feel safe that her information could be accessed so easily. She knew more information was freely available on the internet, but still. If Colin could find her so easily, how hard would it be for an ex-con she’d put away who wanted revenge?
“Don’t be mad at him. I…we were worried about you.”
“You could have called.”
“We don’t have your number.” Good point. They’d never asked, and she never offered.
“You can look up my address but not my number?”
“Apologies are better coming face to face.”
Good point. “Well, however you found me, thank you for your help.”
Alex looked away bashfully, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “You’re welcome. Though it looked like you had a pretty good handle on things before I arrived.”
Be still her heart, a compliment.
“Thanks, between Dad and the academy, I learned to hold my own.”
“It shows.” Alex sat down on the couch next to her but kept a cushion between them. “Payton, I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes underestimating you, and I’m sorry.” He wasn’t going to get any arguments from her. “I won’t do that anymore. I want us to work together. I mean it this time,” he said earnestly. Payton wanted to remain skeptical. It wasn’t the first time he’d said that then turned around and kept her in the dark. For some reason though, she felt compelled to believe him this time.
“Everything alright here?” Colin appeared in her doorway, grinning until he looked around at her shattered furniture and the blood on the floor. Then his gaze met hers and morphed into concern. He crossed the room in three strides and pulled her up so he could inspect her injuries. “Are you okay?”
She batted him away. Seriously, these men. She was a little roughed up but fine. They were acting like they’d never seen a woman hurt before. “I’m okay. I just had a run-in with Smith and Jones.”
His eyes widened in shock. “The same guys from this morning at your dad’s. Just now?”
“You didn’t see them on your way up?” Alex looked as confused as she was.
“No.” Colin barely blinked at their question.
How could he miss them? There was only one stairwell that came up to her apartment. He’d have to pass them on his way up.