Page 89 of Off-Limits Love
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to let you stay here for tonight—only tonight—and we have security cameras over there. I’ll get an alert if there’s any commotion or if someone bothers you. There will be at least one drunk who’ll roll by here at some point and probably see you. The cameras won’t pick up anything this far away.”
She tucked a stray curl behind her ear and nodded. “Thanks.”
“You got food? Water?”
“I’m fine. Thanks for letting me stay. I’ll be gone first thing.”
“You got a phone?”
The woman nodded again, and he wished he could place her age. She looked to be in her midtwenties, but with her hair up and the abundant freckles, she appeared younger.
“Yeah.”
“Okay, good. Keep it close. Call 911 if anyone bothers you. They’re just a couple of blocks away, so they’ll be here quickly.”
“Okay.”
He flashed the light around the shadows nearby. Man, he really hated leaving her here like this. “Or… you could follow me to a hotel.”
“Not happening.”
A low chuckle left him. “That’s not what I meant, sweetheart. I’d get you a room and leave you there. No strings. You’re not safe out here.”
She shifted on the seat, and he saw the flash of her legs.
“I’ll be fine for one night.”
“Suit yourself,” he murmured. “One night. Tomorrow you find another roommate?”
She nodded and leaned toward the door, bright green eyes flashing up at his as she rolled the window back up.
Gage headed back to his truck and got inside right. He watched as she moved the vehicle to the spot he’d told her. She hadn’t gotten out, so she must have climbed over the seat to stay safely locked inside.Smart girl.
His body ached after the hours he’d put in, and he craved his bed, but he now had one more stop to make.
A few blocks away, he pulled into the police station and climbed out again after sending a text to Ky, the convenience store night manager he and his brothers employed, to inform them of their guest.
That done, he headed inside. He could’ve called the nonemergency number, but he was right there so?—
“Hey, Gage. What brings you in this time of night? You got trouble?”
Officer Bruce Holloway stared up at Gage from behind the front desk. “I hope not. I do have a favor to ask though. There’s a woman sleeping in her car behind the rentals building.”
“Ah. No worries. We’ll go run her out and give her info on the shelters,” the man said.
“Actually I told her she could stay tonight. One night only. But I hoped you’d keep an eye on her with a few drive-bys. I didn’t like leaving her there by herself.”
“She on something?”
He thought of her big, clear eyes and adorable freckled face. “Not to look at her. She seemed clearheaded and clean. Said her roommate kicked her out after the roommate’s boyfriend came onto her, and she didn’t have anywhere else to go tonight.”
“Always something,” the man muttered with a shake of his gray head. “Yeah, I’ll spread the word and let you know if we see anything unusual. Your cameras working?”
“Yeah. She was parked over in the shadows, but I made her move so we can keep an eye out for her.”
The cop nodded. “You’re a good man, Gage.”
