Page 79 of The Billionaire's Assistant

Miles brushed the back of his hand over my cheek. “Is he the one who beat you?”

I nodded. I didn’t know why I’d been so hesitant to tell him before.

“I’ll take care of him.”

Carter frowned. “My sources said he’d left town. Your father is very displeased with your brother’s inability to control you.”

I laughed humorlessly. “Yeah, Dad would be. Jesse is probably just hiding. Dad always gets over his anger and brings him back.”

“We’ll find him.” Carter said. “He won’t be bothering you again. I should’ve taken more aggressive action.”

“Wait…do you mean…?”

“Jesse will not bother you again,” Miles said.

I decided not to question them further.

The guard returned with a box and some tape. We made holes in the box, placed Felix inside and taped it shut. Felix made his disgust loudly known, but at least he was safe. I wasn’t about to risk him running away after the effort Miles had made to save him.

Once we’d all talked to the police and were free to go, we put Felix’s makeshift carrier in Miles’s car. I leaned against the door and sighed. “I don’t know where I’m going to go. I have no idea how long it will be before I can get back into my apartment and find out what’s salvageable.”

“You’re coming home with me,” Miles said.

I started to protest, but he pressed a finger against my lips.

“You can stay in one of the guest rooms if that would make you more comfortable. We don’t have to decide anything about what’s happening between us right now, but you will be safe at my house, and I can get you anything you need.”

“What about Felix? Your place isn’t….”

“Felix is just as welcome as you are. if he scratches something, I’ll replace it. Your protection is my top priority, and you’re safest with me. Even if your family figures out where you are, they wouldn’t dare come at me directly. If they do, they won’t survive the encounter.”

I wasn’t going to turn him down. “Thank you. I….”

Miles shook my head. “You don’t have to say anything.”

“Okay.”

37

BEN

My mind spun as we drove. Jesse beating me up hadn’t been unexpected, but I was shocked at the thought of him setting fire to my apartment. I’d known he was cruel and probably somewhat crazy, but there were others who lived in my apartment complex, families, children, pets—and Felix had been our family cat until I’d taken him with me. How could he do that?

The most immediate problem was, where was I going to live? And how much, if anything, was I going to be able to salvage once I could get back into my apartment?

You can live with Miles, and he can take care of everything.

Could I though? Did I dare hope for that again?

“Pull over here.” Miles’s voice startled me from my thoughts.

I looked around. We were double-parked by a fast food place. “What are you doing?”

“Getting you a bacon cheeseburger.”

“Seriously? Looking like that?” I gestured at his soot-covered shirt and slacks.

“Yes. You said it was your favorite everyday meal, so I’m getting it for you.”

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