I cup her knee as I pull into the parking garage nearest the location.
“Are you apologizing because you feel bad for using me?”I prod.
She sighs, drops her hands to her lap, and leans her head back against the headrest.
I call it a win since she doesn’t immediately push my hand off her leg.
“I don’t know.Maybe.Yes.This is just… messed up.”
“I’ll happily be your knight in—”
She grabs my wrist and digs her nails into my flesh.The parking garage lights cast her face in shadow, but her glare reaches through my breastbone and squeezes my heart.
“Don’t finish that sentence.We’re not talking about the past or the future today.Our deal is you help me this once and I’ll consider being your friend.Nothing else,” she demands.
“Of course, cupcake.”
Her glare intensifies.She peels my grip off her knee and shifts her entire body toward the passenger window.
I park in the closest open spot to the elevator.The area is better lit than the ramp, but my senses sharpen at all the potential hiding places.
I grab her elbow when she tries to stomp past me.
“Give me the key.I’ll go first.You stay behind me unless I tell you otherwise.Understand?”
She rolls her eyes.
“He’s not that dangerous.In fact, he’s supposed to be at work right now, so having you here is probably overkill.I can—”
“No.If anything, your escape probably made him more volatile.He expects you to stay silent.”
“What?Why would he—”
“Why didn’t you tellboy toy number oneandboy toy number twowhen you had them on the phone last night?”
Her color drains as she processes my point.I pull her closer to me and angle her near the pillar so the passing car’s headlights streak across my back instead of blinding her.
“He’s probably waiting for you.You were smart to ask for my help.Give me the key,” I demand.
She sighs and offers me her keys with trembling fingers.I engulf her hand in mine and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I promise he’ll never touch you again.Do you trust me?”
Despite the demons lurking in her gaze—demons I created when I walked away from her twenty years ago—she nods.
It isn’t the declaration I crave, but it’s good enough for now.
I take her keys and offer her my elbow.She hooks her hand into the crook of my arm and lets me lead her to the apartment.
The building’s location isn’t horrible and the common areas seem well maintained, but the security falls flat and, honestly, nothing will be good enough for my woman unless I provide it.
It’s an outdated, narrow-minded ideal, I know, but I can’t help myself when it comes to Karey Justice.
I’ll do anything for her, even murder.
Anything except walk away.I did that once, and all it got me was years of loneliness.
She’s stuck with me forever.