Chapter 6
Travis sat back in his seat with satisfaction.
There. He was glad that was settled.
Should he move her into his place? Or was that overkill? Hmm. No, that didn’t seem like it would be overkill. That way he could keep a close eye on her and he could be assured that she was living somewhere secure.
Although this neighborhood did seem like a good one and the building was well-kept. He did wonder how a wedding photographer could afford to rent an apartment in Soho. Then again her parents had been well-off. Maybe they’d given her some money?
Were they the reason she was living here? Why not move back to Albany? Although he guessed there was more work in the city.
And perhaps she wanted some distance from them. He couldn’t remember ever meeting them or Lacey even talking about them. In fact, had Lacey ever gone to her house much? He’d never really thought about it.
“Are your parents still in Albany?” he asked.
He noticed how she tensed, even though she tried to hide it. Hmm. That was telling.
“My father is dead. My mother still lives there.”
Right. That was said stiffly with barely any emotion. He didn’t like the implications of that.
“That was a joke, right?” she asked.
“Asking about your parents? No, of course not.” Why would he joke about that?
“I meant you saying that I’m . . . that I’m yours to take care of.”
“Of course it isn’t. This is a dangerous city. It’s not safe for you to wander around on your own.”
“Travis! I’m hardly some kid! I’m thirty-six. I’ve lived in big cities on my own before without your protection and I’m still alive. It’s . . . sweet that you care. But I don’t need your protection.”
He didn’t like hearing that. He wasn’t sure why this mattered to him so much, but when he made his mind up . . . well, it was difficult to unmake it.
“It’s happening. Get used to it.”
“Get used to it!” She threw her hands up in the air. “You’re impossible. I’m trying to have a rational conversation about something completely irrational and your response is that I should ‘get used to it’?”
“It’s not irrational. I owe you. You’re my cousin’s friend. She’d want me to take care of you while you’re living here. Do you know anyone here?”
“Yes!”
“Who? That dick from tonight?” He scoffed. “He doesn’t count.”
“What do you mean he doesn’t count? Of course River counts!” She ignored the fact that she actually didn’t know River at all well.
“How do you even know him? From one of those apps or websites? They’re not safe, you know.
They say they vet people but that doesn’t mean that they really do.
You can’t just meet up with strangers. Especially without a plan to escape if you need to.
Did anyone know you were meeting with him tonight? ”
Anger welled inside him again as he imagined all of the ways she could have been harmed tonight.
No, she had no sense of safety and she most definitely needed him.
End. Of. Story.
Bonkers.
He was completely and utterly bonkers.
Not just a teensy bit insane as she’d first thought, but off his rocker.
Caren didn’t even know where to start with what he’d just said. For one, River wasn’t a date. She’d been interviewing him for the job as her assistant. He’d actually been her third interview this week. And he was the best one of the lot, which wasn’t really saying much.
“River isn’t?”
“I’m going to have to put my foot down about this. I’ll approve any dates from now on; you have to send them to me first and I will do background checks. I might even need to meet them first.”
Breathe.
You cannot murder him.
But put his foot down? She thought not. Caren had taken care of herself for a long time, in far more dangerous places than New York.
So, nope. He would not be meeting any of her dates first. And she wasn’t about to tell him how pathetic her love life was.
And by pathetic she meant non-existent.
“You are not meeting any of my dates first,” she told him in a strangled voice.
Screw telling him the truth about River. The guy was bonkers. He didn’t deserve any explanations. What he needed was a lobotomy!
“You don’t understand how many crazy people are in this city,” he told her earnestly.
“Oh, trust me, I’m beginning to realize that.” She was staring at one right now.
“Good. Then you understand why I think it would be best if you moved in with me. I’ll contact a moving company tomorrow. We can have you moved out quick.”
Okay, now she couldn’t breathe.
He was a steamroller.
“I’m not moving in with you, Travis.”
“It will be safer.”
“I’m not in any danger, you lunatic!” She threw her hands into the air. “I’ve lived in far more dangerous places than here and survived without your protection. I’m not moving in. There will be no vetting or meeting my dates. And I am not yours to take care of!”
Although that last part did sound rather nice.
However, she was not buying into his crazy.
No thank you.
Reaching for the door handle, she opened it and jumped out, rushing to the front door of her apartment building.
“This isn’t the last you’ll hear from me,” he called out calmly.
“You realize that’s something a lunatic would say!” she yelled back. “Don’t make me get a restraining order.”
That went against every fiber of her being if she was honest. Because all she wanted was to fall into his arms and let him take care of everything.
However, that wasn’t her life. She couldn’t let anyone else have control, except when she was at a club. That was the only time her brain could ever rest. When she let her guard down.
The rest of the time she had to take care of herself.
There was no one else she could trust with her.
Not even Travis “lunatic” Andrews.