Chapter 4
Chapter Four
“ W hat the fuck is she doing?” Alex squinted through the rain at the woman standing by a car that only a few moments before had been flashing its headlights as the horn sounded repeatedly. He’d only paid attention because in his world, when things were unusual, it paid to be alert.
Normally, he would have ignored the woman once he’d classified her as a non-threat, but something about the forlorn figure made him hesitate. And when she’d whirled around, clutching a small child to her chest, and ran to the sidewalk, he knew why.
Even at a distance, there was no mistaking the delicate features or the waves of pale, almost white hair currently turning a silvery hue as the rain soaked her.
Madison Amherst.
Alex was moving toward her before he thought about it. He noted the group of teenagers hurrying away, but his focus was on Madison.
She had to be freezing. Why the fuck was she out in this weather without a coat?
He caught the look of utter hopelessness on her face before it flashed with recognition... and for a split second he could have sworn he saw relief.
After their brief encounter weeks earlier, Alex had done something he’d never done with a woman before. He’d looked into her.
It hadn’t taken long to uncover the details. Madison Amherst: podcaster, guardian to her late sister’s child, embroiled in a messy custody battle. A woman with far too many attachments and a complicated life that he didn’t need to get involved with.
He’d told himself to forget her. Let it go. Walk away.
But here she was again, practically delivered right into his hands.
The universe clearly had other plans.
Maybe he wasn’t quite finished with his angel after all.
“Angel.” He stopped only inches away, but she didn’t move back.
An unpleasant feeling spread through his chest as he scanned over her. She was soaked through, her skin pale with cold, thick wet clumps of hair clinging to her cheeks. Circles so dark they looked like bruises sat under her spectacular eyes, and her lip trembled slightly when she forced a smile.
This was not the same woman he’d met before, and that made him angry.
What happened?
“Charming , we meet again.” Her voice was overly cheerful, and his frown darkened.
“What’s wrong?”
She blinked rapidly up at him as the small human in her arms twisted around, a tiny fist shoved in its mouth. Huge blue eyes, red-rimmed and glassy, peered at him curiously, but the child never stopped chewing on its fist.
Her nephew, he assumed.
“Tell me what happened?” The words came out sharper than he’d intended.
To his horror, her eyes flooded with tears, and Alex had the sudden irrational need to hurt someone.
“Life.” Madison let out a watery chuckle before wiping at the lone tear that escaped from the corner of her eye. Blinking rapidly, she straightened her spine. “Sorry. Just a bad day.”
“What’s. Wrong?” he repeated, his voice gravelly.
Madison stared for another moment before blowing out another laugh that sounded dangerously close to a sob. His chest tightened with an unfamiliar emotion.
“Trust me, you don’t want to know, and neither one of us has the time for all of it.” She brushed her wet hair back and tucked it behind her ears.
Alex clenched his teeth. He wasn’t used to having to ask more than once. “Then give me the short version before you get hypothermia.”
A shudder wracked her body, and Alex shrugged out of his coat, placing it over her shoulders. He wasn’t the least bit surprised when she automatically protested.
“What are you doing?” She gaped at him.
“You’re shivering.”
“I’m fine,” she protested, as Alex placed his hands on her shoulders to keep the wool fabric on her. He knew he shouldn’t touch her, but she was taking off that coat over his dead body.
“You aren’t, and neither is he.”
The words made her pause, and Alex silently congratulated himself on finding her weak spot. Tugging the coat around both of them, he held it closed with one hand.
Frankly, the boy looked fascinated at this turn of events and had stopped squirming in her arms, instead twisting his head to watch Alex.
What the hell was he doing? It was freezing and wet, and he had much bigger problems to deal with than a woman and baby in a parking lot. No matter how stunning she was.
But Alex knew he wouldn’t walk away.
Fuck. She looks exhausted.
Something fluttered in the vicinity of where a normal person’s heart existed. “Tell me how to help, Angel.” he said in a low voice.
Her lower lip trembled, and for a second, Alex thought she would crumble, giving in to the tears so obviously trying to break free. Instead, she firmed her jaw. “Do you know how to break into a car?”
“Do I look like the type of person who knows how to break into a car?”
“Yes.”
An unexpected laugh tore from his chest.
The tense lines at the corner of her mouth eased for a second before she sighed. “I just need to call a friend. I locked my keys in the car along with my wallet and phone.”
“That’s easily fixed.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “You’re welcome to use mine.”
“Thank you.” Her icy fingers brushed his when she took the device.
Alex watched as she repeatedly dialed a number, looking more and more defeated each time she tried again.
“Cami isn’t answering.” She handed the phone back.
“Do you have a spare set of keys at home? I can break in if you’d like, but I’d prefer to wait until the rain stops.”
Madison’s eyes had gone a little hazy as she stared at him as if she couldn’t quite figure out why he was helping her.
That’s okay, Angel. I don’t know either.
“I have a spare set at my office. In my desk.”
“I’ll drive you there.”
“No… I mean…” Her eyes widened. “You don’t?—”
A pitiful wail interrupted her words. Apparently, the boy had grown tired of the show and his fist. Her chin dipped as she looked at the body squirming against her. She lifted a hand to rub the baby on the back under Alex’s coat. “I know. It’s going to be okay.”
The child obviously didn’t believe her because the crying grew louder. Alex did his best not to wince at the ear-piercing sounds.
He intentionally softened his voice, suddenly needing her to let him help. Alex could throw her over his shoulder and put her in his car, but not only would that draw attention, he didn’t see her taking it well.
“You need help. This little guy is clearly unhappy, and neither one of you should be out in this weather.”
“Jax is sick. I had to get medicine…” Her voice sounded strangled. “I would have gone alone, or had it delivered, but you have to get the decongestant from the pharmacist now, and I don’t have anyone?—”
“I’m here now.”
Her gaze caught his and suddenly the world shrank around them, the same as it had at the restaurant. Normally, that would have his defenses up, a sure sign danger was near, but Alex suspected the danger was standing directly in front of him.
And he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do about it.
“How far away is your office?”
She bit her lip. “It’s less than a mile.”
“Okay. Here is what we are going to do.” Alex smiled what he hoped was a friendly smile. “I’m going to drive you there to get your keys. You and the boy can dry off, and then I’ll bring you back to your car. Fixed in less than ten minutes.”
“I can’t.” The words burst out of her.
“Do you have any other options?” He lifted a brow, and then used a weapon he knew was unfair, but wasn’t at all sorry for deploying. “If you stay here in the wet and cold, he will get sicker.”
She blanched.
“I don’t know you…”
“We’ve met. We know people in common.”
Her eyes flickered.
Ah, what had James Bloom decided to share? He mentally shrugged. Probably the truth. He didn’t blame her for hesitating.
Still… Alex wasn’t ready to let her go yet, and he refused to regret whatever he needed to do to fix this situation for her.
“Kidnapping soaking wet women and sick babies isn’t really something I do.” He winked. “There isn’t enough money in it.”
Her shoulders eased a fraction, and the ghost of a smile twitched across her full lips. “I suppose that’s true.”
“This shopping center has security cameras everywhere, and, at the risk of sounding arrogant, I am easily recognized.”
“I don’t have his car seat.” Her shoulders drooped. “I can’t put him in a car without one. It wouldn’t be safe.”
He wondered how much of the subtext in her brain was telling her that getting in the car with him was more unsafe.
“I don’t see that you have much choice. Which is more dangerous? A slow ride less than a mile in a car without a safety seat or staying exposed to the elements when he’s already sick and wet?”
If Alex didn’t already know he was destined for hell, his spot was guaranteed by the guilt that washed over her face.
“I will drive slowly and carefully,” Alex said, looking into her eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to either of you. I promise.”
After another moment of indecision, she gave a tiny nod and muttered, “I’m the worst mother on the planet.”
“Wait here.”
Not wanting to give her a chance to change her mind, Alex jogged through the rain to his car. With the heat on full blast, he pulled up to the curb next to her and rounded the hood to open the back door for her. Her decision made, it was clear Madison wasn’t going to waste any more time as she slid in, clutching the boy tightly.
“You promise you’ll be careful?”
“With you, Angel? Always.”