Page 21 of Resist

He was acting strangely, but not in a bad way. In truth, she was kind of touched by how concerned he was. Especially since they didn’t know each other that well.

She nodded, walking to the door. Once they were both outside, she locked the door, then pulled down the metal gate, listening as it snapped into place.

“Well,” she said awkwardly as they stood there. “Um, thanks.”

Coulton gestured to a truck parked across the street, offering to drive her home.

“I only live a few blocks that way,” she said, pointing down the street.

Coulton’s scowl returned. “You walk home alone at night in this neighborhood?”

She grinned. “Of course not. My driver will be here with the limo any minute.”

Coulton ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t want you to go home if there’s no one to look after you. You took some hard hits, and your lip is still bleeding. I have a guest room. You can stay with me.”

Ainsley laughed. “Yeah. No. That’s not happening. I might have taken a couple of knocks to the head, but they didn’t knock me senseless. I barely know you.”

Coulton considered that for a few moments, then pulled his phone out of his pocket, calling someone before putting it on speaker. “Hi, Jerome, it’s Coulton. Sorry for calling so late. I’m here with Ainsley.”

“Hey, Coulton, Ainsley. How’s it hanging, girl? Haven’t seen you in a minute.”

“I’m cool,” she lied.

“There was an incident at the bar, Jerome, and Ainsley was hurt,” Coulton replied.

Ainsley wasn’t sure whether she was more confused by this call or pissed that he was sharing her private information. She didn’t like for people to know her business.

“She won’t go to the hospital, so I’ve offered to take care of her. Got first-aid stuff back at my place. She’s leery,” he continued, looking at her. “And rightly so, because we don’t know each other that well. But I was hoping you would vouch for me.”

“Oh, hell yeah, man. Coulton’s a stand-up guy, Ainsley. You can trust him. He’s awesome with Slade, changed the kid’s life.”

Ainsley blinked a couple of times as her eyes teared up. She was blaming exhaustion, refusing to attribute anything else to this unfamiliar emotion. Coulton wanted to take care of her, but he also wanted her to feel safe.

Who the hellwasthis guy? Because genuinely good men were few and far between in her world.

“Thanks, Jerome,” she finally managed to say, her voice sounding thicker than usual.

“No problem. I’ll stop by Mick’s one day and we can catch up.”

“I’d like that.” Ainsley had always liked Jerome, but they’d drifted apart after graduation, their loose connection based on the fact her high school friends had been friends with his.

“Hope you’re okay, Ainsley.”

“I’ll be fine,” she reassured him.

Coulton added his thanks, then hung up the phone. “So you’ll come home with me?”

Ainsley glanced down the street, the idea of walking into her shitty apartment that still stunk of stale cigarettes, despite the fact Mick had stopped smoking a year ago, too depressing to consider.

Coulton frowned when she didn’t answer right away. “Do you seriously think I’m trying to pick you up? After what you just went through? Those guys were planning to rape you, Ainsley.”

She shivered, preferring not to think about that. She’d been losing the fight, but pride wouldn’t let her admit it.

Tonight could have been so fucking bad, and she would have been powerless to stop it.

She was used to feeling hopeless, but not helpless.

“I’m offering you my guest room,” Coulton added. “Where you will be sleeping alone. Did you eat dinner?”

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