10. Caden
Caden
S hit .
I lunged forward and took some of the young woman’s weight before she dragged Allie over.
“Caden, she’s dizzy, slurring her words. She said she only had one drink.”
The blonde’s head lolled to the side. I slid an arm around her, while Allie did the same on the woman’s other side.
“We’d better get her to the hospital.”
Allie’s brow creased. “You think it’s drugs?”
“It could be.”
Together, we hobbled into the hotel lobby. The woman mumbled, barely conscious.
“Caden, she was with the extreme-sports guys. The ESG.”
My jaw hardened. Then I spotted one of my security team frowning as he walked our way.
“I saw on the camera,” Hugh said. “Gretchen is bringing an SUV around.”
“Scan the security footage from the bar,” I ordered. “See what she was drinking, and if anyone tampered with her drink.”
Hugh nodded. “I’m on it. I’ll call ahead to the hospital and tell them that you’re on the way.”
Allie and I got the woman outside just as the SUV pulled up. Allie opened the back door, and I helped the woman into the back seat. Then Allie slid in with her.
“I’ve got her.” Allie’s voice was calm, focused.
I was pretty sure that nothing shook Allie Ford.
I circled the vehicle. Gretchen handed me the keys and I got in the driver’s seat.
“Keep us updated, boss,” Gretchen said. “Tell us how she is.”
It was a short drive to the local hospital and my hands clenched on the wheel. In the backseat, I heard Allie murmuring soothing words to the mostly unconscious woman.
I’d done the same drive, not so long ago. With Ro holding a sick Tessa in the backseat. I hoped to hell we had a good outcome again.
I pulled up at the emergency entrance. A moment later, the doors to the hospital opened, and a team raced out with a gurney.
Pushing open the door, I slid out of the SUV. “A woman in her mid-twenties. She’s dizzy, slurred speech, barely conscious.” I opened the back door. “She said she only had one drink.”
A woman in a blue scrubs nodded. “We’ve got it from here.”
In seconds, they transferred the woman to the gurney and were whisking her inside. Allie stood beside the vehicle looking lost, staring into the hospital.
“She’ll be okay,” I said.
Allie nodded.
“I’ll park the SUV. You want to wait?”
She nodded again.
“Wait inside, Allie. It’s too cold out here.” Especially with her legs bared by that damn skirt.
After I’d parked the SUV, I found Allie inside, in a small waiting room with uncomfortable chairs. She was pacing, with a phone pressed to her ear.
“I’m sorry for such short notice, Mrs. Jenkins. I appreciate you watching him and putting him to bed.” She paused. “Tell him someone at work got sick and I’ve taken her to the doctor. I will. Thanks.”
She turned. She looked tired and worried.
“This is déjà vu. I feel like I’m back at that night Tessa got poisoned.” Allie shook her head. “God, I was so scared and worried that night.”
And here she was, worried about a woman she didn’t even know.
“Until you promised to find who’d done it.” She shot me a wry smile. “You calmed me down.”
“You were ready to go off half-cocked and maybe murder someone.”
“True. And you caught Rupert, thank God.”
My gut tightened. “Eventually. He almost hurt Tessa again.”
“You saved her. And it all worked out. Believe me, I don’t give Rupert a single thought these days.” She smiled. “Nor does Tessa.”
I bet Ro still had a few violent thoughts about the guy. I sat down on one of the chairs and Allie sat beside me.
She fidgeted, the chair creaking. “I really hope this woman is okay.”
“Me too.”
Silence fell. She shifted, crossing her long legs. Which served as a reminder that she wasn’t wearing anything under that short skirt.
And that I’d touched her.
My cock—still half hard—twitched in my pants. My fingers curled into my palm. Fingers that had been inside her, pleasured her.
Then I’d hurt her.
I’d seen it in her eyes.
A part of me wanted to pull her onto my lap. I wanted to hold her, comfort her.
Fuck . It wasn’t that simple. It was best for her that I kept my hands to myself.
If I’d still been the man I’d been before the military… But I wasn’t. Allie deserved more than the broken shell I had to offer.
“They did this, Caden.” Anger vibrated in her voice. “One of ESG drugged her.”
I took her hand. So much for not touching . She stilled, then relaxed. Her fingers curled around mine.
Hell . I hadn’t held hands with a woman for years. My fingers were covered with lots of old scars. Hers were far softer and more elegant than mine.
“The doctors will test to see if she was drugged?” Allie asked.
I nodded. “Is Ollie okay?”
“Yes, my neighbor’s with him.” Allie rubbed a hand over her face.
“You should go home. Get some sleep.”
“There’s no way I’ll sleep. I need to know that she’s okay.”
The minutes ticked by, and I couldn’t make myself let go of her hand.
Finally, one of the doctors pushed through the doors.
Allie shot to her feet, and I rose.
“The young lady is going to be fine. She’s asleep now.” The man’s face turned serious. “She has GHB in her system.”
I cursed.
“That’s a date-rape drug, right? God.” Allie ran a hand through her hair.
“I’ve reported the incident to the local police,” the doctor added, his gaze swinging my way. “You’re in charge of security at the Windward?”
“Yes. I’ll follow up with the police. I won’t let things like this happen at the Langston Windward.”
“Good.”
I glanced at Allie. “I need to make a call.”
“Okay.” She looked back at the doctor. “Can I visit with her? I don’t even know her name, but I want her to know she’s not alone.”
“Yes, but keep it brief,” the doctor said. “We found a wallet in her bag. Her name is Mellody Evans.”
“Thanks.” Allie shot me a look, then followed the doctor.
Meanwhile, I pulled out my cellphone. I texted Hugh and got confirmation that Mellody Evans was twenty-four years old and a guest at the hotel. Then I called the local police. I wasn’t surprised when, fifteen minutes later, Officer Sanchez walked in.
“Late night,” the woman said.
“Yeah. Not how I’d hoped it would go.”
She pulled out a notepad. “Tell me what happened.”
“The young woman, Mellody Evans, is a guest at the hotel. She was in the bar and said she’d only had one drink. She stumbled into Allie Ford, one of our housekeeping supervisors. She was clearly under the influence of something.” I calmly told her the rest of the story.
“She was lucky it was Ms. Ford who found her.”
“ Dammit .” My mouth flattened. “I hate knowing there are men who do this sort of thing.”
“I’ll bet, and you aren’t alone.” Sanchez slid the notepad away. “You said Ms. Evans was partying with a group of guests?”
“Four guys. They’re here mountain biking. They’re into extreme sports.” My jaw hardened.
Sanchez reached out and touched my forearm. “Now, Castro, no playing judge, jury, and executioner. I’ll investigate.” There was a warning look in her eyes.
The door opened and Allie stepped in. She saw us and jerked to a halt. “Um, sorry. Should I come back?”
I waved her forward. “Allie, this is Officer Sanchez. Allie is the housekeeping supervisor I mentioned.”
Sanchez dropped her hand, all business again. “Can I get your statement, Ms. Ford?”
“Sure.”
I stood with my hands in my pockets as they talked, and Allie answered all of the officer’s questions.
“I’d better get Allie home,” I said.
“I can try and get an Uber.”
“No.” I nodded at Sanchez. “Thanks again.”
“Any time, Castro.” The officer smiled. “I’ll keep you posted.” She walked out.
“Are you…dating her?”
I frowned at Allie. “What?”
“Officer Sanchez.”
“No.” Did she really think I’d kiss her, touch her, if I was dating someone else?
“She wants to jump your bones.”
I ushered Allie out of the waiting room and made a scoffing sound.
“God, you are dense,” she muttered
“I have no personal interest in Officer Sanchez.”
“Sure. A sexy young officer with big doe eyes.” She fluttered her eyelashes.
I whirled and grabbed her. “I think you’re the dense one.”
She blinked, her gaze on mine. “What?”
Even with my brain screaming at me to step back and let her go, I backed her toward the wall. “There’s only one woman who is under my skin, like a damn itch.”
Allie sucked in a breath. Her back hit the wall. “Oh, I’m an itch, am I? Like a bad rash.”
“I wouldn’t be touching you, kissing you, or making you come on my fingers if I was interested in another woman.”
Her chest hitched, then her gaze dropped to my mouth.
I leaned forward, my lips hovering over hers.
Back off, Castro.
I closed my mouth over hers.
My blood running hot, I claimed her mouth. I teased her with my tongue, and she made a low, needy sound before parting her lips for me.
Tunneling my fingers into her hair, I held her so I could kiss her deep and hard. I kept kissing, like it was the only thing I needed.
We broke apart for a second, both of us breathing hard.
Then we both went at each other again. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she pressed against me.
With a low groan, I pinned her to the wall.
She rubbed against me with wild abandon, and I knew she’d feel my steel-hard cock digging into her stomach.
We broke apart again and my damn mind was spinning.
No control . With her, I lost sight of everything. A damn terrorist could walk right up to me and I wouldn’t know. Wouldn’t care.
Shit . I stared at her, trying to drag air into my burning lungs. She was breathing heavily as well.
“Broody…”
Dammit . I shouldn’t have touched her.
I’d already gone over this in my head a hundred times. She deserved far better and less complicated than me. She deserved someone who’d make her life easier, not harder.
I stepped back, and when I saw the disappointment on her face, fought from reaching for her again.
“Allie—”
“If you apologize again, I’ll punch you.”
I dragged in a breath and I stayed silent.
What else was there to say?
Then I gave her a tight nod. “I’ll drive you home.”