Chapter 3
Three
Axel
I tried to mind my business and give her space as she devoured the grilled cheese like it was her last meal, but seeing a pregnant woman covered in bruises did things to me. Like make my blood boil hotter than the tomato soup I made to go with her sandwich.
The bar had died down as everyone tried to make it home before the storm. I had a million and one questions I wanted to ask the beautiful stranger in front of me, but I kept my distance as she continued to look around, fully guarded every time the door opened.
“Do you want more?” I asked, nodding to the empty plate and bowl in front of her.
“No. Thank you. It was delicious, but I’m beyond full now. How much do I owe you?”
“It’s on the house. Remember?” I tossed the towel over my shoulder and cleared the dishes, setting them in the sink behind me.
Eventually, I would run them to the kitchen, but at that moment, I didn’t want to leave and risk her sneaking out.
I had no idea where she was trying to go, but I knew she wasn’t going to get there until this storm passed.
The least I could do was make sure she didn’t do anything stupid, like try to leave and get stranded somewhere, left to die in the beat-up car she pulled up in earlier.
“I have money. I can pay.” She reached into her purse and pulled her wallet out when I lifted my hand to stop her.
“I’m not taking your money.”
“Why do I get the feeling that this is a fight I’m not going to win?” She tilted her head and studied me, her gorgeous green eyes shining in the light above where she sat.
“Because you won’t.”
“Okay, but I think your boss might have a different answer if he knew you were giving free food to some stranger who just wandered in.”
“He’d be fine with it.” I fought the urge to smile since she had no idea that I was the boss.
“Well, then, allow me to get out of your hair so you can finish closing up and get home before that storm gets really bad.” She turned on the barstool, gripping the side of the counter as she tried to get down.
It wasn’t the first time I’d noticed her wincing when something touched her stomach, and something told me that it wasn’t just her being uncomfortable this late in her pregnancy. I would be willing to bet money that her injuries went further than just the bruises on her face and neck.
“You don’t need to leave,” I said softly, holding her gaze.
“I do. I apparently have no chance of getting out of town with the storm moving in, so I need to see if there’s a cheap hotel where I can get a room.”
“I can already tell you there’s not. The closest hotel is two towns away. You won’t make it there before you get stranded on the side of the road.”
Her eyebrows shot up her forehead as she turned and stared at me in disbelief.
“Are you kidding me?”
“Nope. I told you this town is purposely small. We like it that way.”
“Yeah, but to not have a single hotel? That seems a little crazy.”
“Not when you don’t want outsiders to have a chance to stick around. Forcing them to go two towns over to get a room guarantees that they won’t want to come back here.”
“Well, then, I guess I picked the wrong town to stop and pee in,” she joked, the corners of her lips curling up just a tad into an almost smile.
“Maybe.” I shrugged. “But you picked the right town to hide in.”
A flush of color washed over her face as she quickly looked away from me.
“Look, I don’t know what it is that you’re running from, but I can tell you’re running.” We could continue to skirt over the obvious all night, but I was tired of acting like I didn’t know what was really going on. I came around the bar and stood in front of her.
“Trust me when I tell you that you’re safe here. You can stop looking over your shoulder as if you’re expecting the worst to happen. Whoever you’re running from isn’t going to find you here.”
“How can you be so sure of that?”
“Because I’ve lived here a long time, and I’ve seen plenty of people come and go from Nowhere. Those who are new don’t tend to stick around.”
“Unfortunately, the people who are after me aren’t the kind of people who scare easily. And I have something they want, which means they’re not going to stop until they get it.” She rubbed a hand protectively over the top of her stomach before wincing and pulling away.
“They won’t find you here,” I assured her. “Not with that storm moving in. You’re safe here. I promise. Take a few days to rest and reset before you take off again.”
She took a deep breath in and slowly let it out through pursed lips.
“I’m eight months pregnant and stranded in the world’s smallest town with below-freezing temperatures and not enough gas to keep the car running long enough to keep me warm tonight. I’m not sure which part of that is supposed to make me feel safe.”
My eyebrows rose as I stared at her in disbelief.
“You’ve been sleeping in your car?”
She nodded but looked away.
“I didn’t have anywhere else to go. Even if I had the money to get a room somewhere, I would have to use a credit card, which would let them trace my activity and see where I’ve been. I needed to save what cash I had left for food and gas.”
I tilted my head back and scrubbed a hand down my face. This was so much worse than I expected.
“Yeah, well, that all ends now,” I said, trying to keep my voice level so I didn’t show my frustration or scare her.
“What does?”
“You sleeping in your car.”
“I hate to break it to you, but that’s literally my only option. You said it yourself that the closest hotel is two towns away and that I won’t make it in this weather.”
“And I meant it. You won’t.”
“Then what are you proposing I do?” She put her hand on her hip and studied me. “There was literally nothing around here when I stopped. Where do you expect me to sleep if not in my car?”
“You’ll stay here. With me.”