Page 43 of Hidden Rocco
She met his gaze and shook her head. “No. Wait. I’m picking Jacob up. Walk us to my room. It’s secured to be a panic room, and I can get the keys to my car and helicopter, just in case.”
If she was in danger, then he’d do everything he could to protect her. He carried the bag he’d made for her and nodded. “Yeah. That’s a good idea.”
She reached for the baby while he checked the hall.
Nothing stirred.
Everything seemed normal, except his skin flamed with hyperawareness of everything, making his vision more acute. The glass windows only showed the gentle sway of the trees. Everything seemed in order.
Mica came behind him, and she carried her sleeping son in her arms.
He glanced at the elevator but that would make more noise and give her less places to hide if someone was here. Rocco guided them toward the stairs. She didn’t object but quietly said, “The hotel has a hundred doors that look all the same.”
"I checked everyone already.”
“If someone breaks into the hotel, I have security cameras in my suite.”
“I should have brought you there first then.”
She stopped speaking after that and they headed up the stairs quietly.
Neither of them let their footstep echo. Rocco stayed in front of her and ushered her into her bedroom.
He intended to stand outside like a bodyguard would, but she tugged on his shoulder. Rather than argue, he followed her inside. She went right for the crib and placed her son in it as he said, “This is big.”
She glanced up and down at him and pointed toward the open space of the next room. “It’s technically four rooms. Three of the doors outside are fake and built into the wall.”
He walked away from the crib and her bed.
In the next room, she had a modern glass desk and white leather chairs that overlooked the back instead of a balcony. Glass bookshelves took up an entire wall. “Your office is pretty self-contained.”
“Yeah, except my refrigerator broke and I didn’t realize I’d have an immediate need for one.”
“I have your meds in the cooler so it should be good for a few hours.”
She walked past him, patted his arm like he should follow and then opened a cabinet that had a TV. “Thank you. Let’s check the security cameras.”
“Good idea.” He sat on the edge of one of her leather chairs.
She flipped through channels that showed all areas of the chalet. “I don’t see anything.”
Rocco blinked and thought he saw a movement. He pointed toward the screen. “Wait. Go back.”
“What?” She scrolled backwards via the remote.
He motioned stop with his palm in the air and then jumped out of his seat.
A small bouquet of cut flowers he’d made from the garden were in a vase that billowed in the wind. He pointed toward it and said, “The second floor window is open.”
She narrowed her gaze and just stared at the screen. “How did you see that?”
“It’s my room and my flowers. Maybe I left it open for a fresh breeze and forgot to close it and didn’t notice earlier?” The yellow flowers he thought of like himself, unwanted but hopefully nice. “Stay here. I’ll be back.”
“Wait. Take a gun.”
Guns would just add time to his record. Yes he knew how to use one. He’d been a Marine and in prison; he’d handled himself by staying fit. “I’ll be fine, Mica.”
She walked next to him and bumped into him until they reached the door and she said, “Okay. Hurry back. Knock three times fast and one slow so I know it’s you.”
