Page 57 of Protected from Malice
But I couldn’t leave Eden.
I can’t.
Not when I promised she wouldn’t be alone again.
No, she wouldn’t havetechnicallybeen alone. Not with Tyler, Webb, and Ace still here. But she doesn’t know them; not like she knows me. She wouldn’t ask them for something to eat. She wouldn’t ask them to watch TV with her. She wouldn’t ask Ace, or Tyler, or Webb for a hug?—
Fuck. I hope she wouldn’t.
Of course, she has the right to ask them for anything. And if it helped her, I’d have to be okay with it. Making sure Eden’s okay is more important than anything.
But dammit, I want her to come tome.
It’s stupid, really. After all the years of sternly reminding myself that no matter how I felt about Eden, it could never go anywhere, here I am wanting more.
Wanting her to open the bedroom door and ask me to come in.
Wanting her to be mine to comfort.
But conflicted feelings aside, I knew one thing for certain. I wasn’t leaving. After a minute or so of awkward silence, Ace jumped up and offered to join Indy in the gym. Ace, who comes across as this easygoing guy but sees more than he’d like you to know.
I think Ace knew why I wanted to stay. Not in anything he said, but in the look he gave me.
But in the thirty-two—no, thirty-three minutes, now—it’s not like I’ve done anything to help Eden. I sure as fuck haven’tgotten any work done, unless staring at my laptop screen until the words blur together is considered doing something productive.
The room has been eerily quiet since Indy and Ace left, which makes me feel even more unsettled. Tyler’s typing away like crazy, the soft sound of keys clacking taking the place of conversation. Webb’s already started looking at the hotel blueprints, searching for possible security holes and jotting them down on a hotel notepad whenever he finds one.
Me? I’m the useless one.
I’m the one who can’t stop stealing glances at the bedroom door.
Reminding myself she might want more time alone.
That she’s a grown adult who’s perfectly capable of taking care of herself.
Or.
Eden might be in there, wishing I’d come in.
Shit. What if she’s crying and she doesn’t want the other guys to see her, and that’s why she hasn’t come out to ask?
And why am I sitting here not doing something about it?
Screw patience.
If Eden needs me, I’m not waiting anymore. And if it turns out shedoeswant to be alone, at least I’ll know.
Just as I’m pushing up from my chair, Tyler says, “Okay. I’ve got us set up with adjoining suites. Still on the fifth floor, but in the east wing. Once Indy and Ace get back, I’m thinking we can head there to get security set up.”
“Nice,” Webb replies. “I can order some groceries, too. Since we’ll be here for a while, it might be good to have something other than fast food and room service.” He glances at me with a hopeful look. “And speaking of food, I thought I smelled bacon when we got here. Do you have any left?”
“In the fridge.” I angle my chin towards the kitchenette. “Help yourself.”
Then I hurry towards the bedroom, trying my best to ignore the heat of two pairs of curious eyes following me.
“I’m checking on Eden,” I explain just before I reach the bedroom door.
No shit. Obviously, I’m checking on her. It’s not like I’m over here to check on the integrity of the door.
