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He snorted and breezed past her. “Assume whatever you want.”

Annoyance flared inside her, but what did she expect? Concealing a gun without a permit would be the least of his charges. But the cop in her wanted to slap him with a fine.

As Sophia made her way out of the room, Cole veered toward the kitchen. He stopped at the sink and poured water into a glass. “We’re not going anywhere until you get some food in you,” he said, passing her the glass. “So either eat something here or we’ll stop wherever you want.”

She covered her mouth. “I can’t—”

“Well, you need to. I’m not carrying your ass around if you pass out. So what do you want? A burger on the go or a sandwich here?”

He wasn’t going to budge, and she didn’t want to waste another minute. They were onto something, and momentum was on their side. “A burger.”

“Read my mind.” He snagged his keys from the island and nodded at her to drink the water.

Tilting her head back, she downed it and placed the glass in the sink. At the door, he stopped to unfasten the many locks. She must have been so out of it when she crumpled to the floor that she hadn’t noticed him locking them in.

Wow, great self-preservation, Detective.

“What’s with all the security?”

The idea that he needed to protect himself was almost laughable. It was others who needed to keep him out. The locks in her apartment certainly hadn’t done any good.

He cracked open the door, waited for her to exit, then walked out of the apartment and locked the door behind him. “I have more enemies than friends.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me.” She folded her arms across her chest.

His face contorted with exasperation, but he’d have to get used to her comments. Keeping them to herself wasn’t something she’d be capable of with one of the dirtiest criminals around. But if he found her daughter before it was too late, she’d eat shit and keep her mouth shut.

“You can follow me,” she said, leading the way down the stairs. Rather than stop at the main floor, though, he kept going.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. We’ll take my car.”

Warning tangled her insides. He was probably trying to keep a close eye on her to ensure she didn’t back out of their deal and have him arrested. The idea was tempting. One text and there’d be a swarm of police on him. But she couldn’t do it.

As much as she hated to admit it, she needed Cole Holmes.

CHAPTER 7

The burger and fries Sophia had nibbled on sat like an anvil in her stomach. She climbed the stairs to her apartment with Cole at her back. It was nearly 11:00 p.m. and her body was starting to feel the effects of lack of sleep.

It didn’t matter. There was no way she was shutting her eyes until Bella was home. Of course that was reckless, but how could she do something as self-centered as sleep when Bella was in the hands of monsters?

Cold.

Terrified.

Alone.

Sadness gripped her heart, and she brought her hand to her chest as she reached the second-floor landing. She paused and tried to bring air in through her nose. Just being in the building without Bella chattering away at her heels or running ahead made her feel as if she were missing a limb.

Her soul ached for Bella’s presence.

“What?”

“Nothing.” She steeled her spine. She’d broken down in front of Cole more than once, and while some attacks couldn’t be helped, she had to learn to control her emotions around him. He was still dangerous. Still a man she needed to keep as much distance from as possible.

She crept down the hall, drawing the gun from her holster. At least it was late and her neighbors would be asleep. She’d hate for them to see her with a gun—or with a guy of Cole’s ilk.

God. The old lady next door, Marjorie, would think she’d lost her damn mind.

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