Page 17 of His to Protect

Her gaze darted around the room again, and I stiffened for a worst-case scenario.

Like, the asshole who beat her had come back. Why else would she come to me?

“A sudden change in plans,” she finally said, giving me a truth that dripped with hidden secrets. Which would normally be fine, but…

“If you’re pulling me into the middle of some domestic drama, I think I have a reason to expect the truth when I ask for it.”

My tone was firm. Deep. My voice a bit raspy. I got a flash of the last time I told a woman to get on her knees for me, using that same voice, and then another memory as the thrill of her obedience washed over me.

My skin began to prickle with heat at the thought, at the memory, something Mara never appreciated.

I tried to push that thought away, to focus on the woman in front of me.

The abused woman.

Reality splashed over me like the old ice-bucket challenge.

She nodded and licked her lips. When she opened her mouth to speak, her words came out in a barely audible whisper. “I’ve been planning on heading somewhere far away…where doesn’t matter, I don’t think.” She arched a brow and paused. I waved a hand telling her to continue. Where she was going didn’t matter. “Last night I got back to my hotel and it had been trashed. All my cash and my passport were gone.”

Her chin trembled…andfuck…

“So,” she said, fighting the tears filling her eyes. “I need a place to crash. Somewhere for a few days so I can figure out what to do next.”

“Did you call the police?” I asked, and watched the blood drain from her cheeks.

“No. No cops.”

“Trina—”

She lifted a hand and stopped me. The seriousness in her expression was the most confident I’d seen her yet. “No, absolutely no cops. I can’t.”

I raised my hands in surrender. “That’s all you need, then? Just a place to crash? How will you get money?”

She shrugged and her lips twisted. “Haven’t figured that out yet. But I will, and I swear I won’t be an inconvenience or any trouble. Honest.”

As much as I wanted to believe her, I couldn’t.

She might not have planned on being any trouble for me, but I had the sinking feeling I was about to walk into a situation that would end up being one huge disaster.

Not just because she was clearly running from someone, but because of how she made me feel…

Tempted. Aroused.

And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.

But even knowing I was about to jump straight into a heap of trouble I didn’t need, I still found myself grinning softly, and said, “Told you last night. Anytime you need help, I’m here.”

—

“Your place is really nice,” she said as she walked in. Next to her, Boomer was on a leash, his tail whipping back and forth with excitement.

“It’s not much,” I admitted, dropping my keys into a ceramic bowl Mara had picked out and left behind. Purple fucking flowers. I hated the thing, yet hadn’t gotten rid of anything she bought yet.

Not for sentimental reasons. There was nothing sentimental about my feelings for Mara.

I hadn’t had the time.

Seeing another woman walk into my home for the first time in six months made me want to find the time.

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