Page 12 of Faith
“We do. Only for people who are on the right side of the law. But that doesn’t mean what we do is without risk. We have security, good security, and we have lots of training to make sure we are safe. You will be safe here.”
Nina nodded, thinking of the security at Gwendolyn’s. The men standing guard at all times, willing to give their lives for her.
“He won’t get to you.”
Nina nodded again, letting the truth stay quiet.
“I will be right across the hall, Nina. If you need anything, come get me.”
“Zeke?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry my brother punched you.”
Zeke rubbed his reddened jaw. “I’ll be okay. He still doesn’t know how to throw a good punch.”
Nina chuckled, feeling almost normal.
Zeke moved to the door. “Lock this behind me.”
“Do you have a key?”
Zeke nodded. “Do you want it? So I can’t get in unless you let me?”
She shook her head. “I like knowing you can get in here.”
“Okay. I will come if you call me. Every time.”
“I know you will.”
Zeke moved across the room quickly, dragging her into his arms and kissing the side of her head. He released her just as fast, stalking to the bedroom door. “Lock this.”
Nina nodded, following him to the door and flipping the lock once he closed the door. “Good night,” she whispered.
“Good night, Nina,” Zeke answered from the other side of the door.
Nina put her hand flat against the door. She exhaled and smiled. She was safe. She could sleep.
Zeke leanedagainst the wall outside his bedroom. He listened as Nina crawled into bed and settled down. He barely breathed, wanting to hear every sound.
When she stopped moving, he sank to the floor. He told himself he needed to sleep, but he couldn’t walk away from her.
She was alive. She was home.
Relief coursed through him and brought tears to his eyes. Whatever happened to her was bad, but it was over. She was safe. He would never let anything happen to her again.
Zeke rested his head in his hands and settled in for a few hours. He accepted that moving away from the door wasn’t going to happen. Yeah, he had a bed in the guest room, but that was another ten feet away from Nina. He couldn’t do it.
Nina moved and made noises, but Zeke didn’t move. He waited, listening, consoling himself that she was safe.
Gene and Franklin joined Zeke at the top of the stairs, abandoning their usual spots on the couch for the night, and settled next to Zeke. Their loud purring said they were content to stay put for the night, too, guarding Nina.
Zeke told himself Montgomery would be okay. It was a shock to see her. Zeke regretted not telling Montgomery what was going on, but it was too late for that. Mont would accept that all that mattered was having Nina back.
Hours passed, and the bedroom Zeke didn’t use glowed as the sun rose. The hallway warmed up. Zeke shifted his position, stretching his legs and twisting his neck. It wasn’t anywhere close to his first night on guard all night. It wouldn’t be his last.
Nina stirred an hour after the sun came up, moving to the bathroom. The toilet flushed, and the water ran.
