Chapter 3 #2
Kylie’s a live-in nanny, so she’s out. Jordan would be a good option, but she’s in London for the next six weeks on a work trip.
And I can’t exactly hop on a plane to fly out to Chicago right now.
There are some people I’m friendly with through my job, but working remotely eighty percent of the time means we’re not close enough to ask any of them for such a big favor.
But, I realize, the doctor doesn’t know where I’m going from here. I can tell him yes, I have a person to stay with, and I can find a room at a hotel instead. As for the possibility of my throat swelling shut during the night? I guess I won’t sleep, so I can call 911 if it starts to happen.
“Who?” Micah asks. A moment later, his cheeks turn a ruddy pink, which, I have to say, putting it aside from this whole messed-up situation, might be one of the most attractive things I’ve ever seen. I can’t explain why, but there’s just something about a big, muscly man blushing that gets me.
“Sorry,” he adds, frowning in apology. “That’s none of my business. But—” His lips thin. “Is it someone with adequate security? We still don’t know who came after you, Ruby. Or if they’ll come back.”
A shudder grabs hold of me, and I wrap my arms around myself instinctively. “I’m sure it’ll be okay.” Glancing at the doctor, I lie, “I have someone to stay with. So I’ll be fine to leave.”
The doctor stares at me, his expression unreadable. For a moment, I wonder if he’s going to press me on it. Ask for a name. An address.
But then his pager goes off, catching his attention. He glances at the pager and grimaces. “I need to go,” he says. “Sounds like you’re all set. I’ll have a nurse come in with the discharge papers shortly.”
And before I can respond, he hurries from the room, leaving me and Micah alone.
“Well,” I start, “I need to make some calls.” Glad that Micah had thought to bring my phone with us, I pluck it from the little table beside the bed. Glancing down, I’m reminded of the hospital gown I’m still wearing, partly covered by a thin blue blanket. “I wonder where the nurse put my clothes.”
I don’t really want to put on the clothes I was wearing when I was attacked. I’d rather burn them, honestly. But between a flimsy hospital gown and those, I don’t have much of a choice.
“The closet,” Micah says. “Your clothes are in there. But, Ruby.”
“What?” I tap my phone to wake it and click on the browser. I’d like to get the hotel room figured out before I’m discharged, so I can go straight there.
Micah’s expression turns even more somber than it already was. “I’m just not sure staying with one of your friends is a great idea. If your attacker comes back, is there going to be enough protection?”
“How would they know where I am?” I ask. “If I’m not at my apartment—”
“It wouldn’t be as hard as you’d think. A garden-variety criminal who just strolls into a convenience store and holds up the cashier; they might not be able to do it. But someone with more experience, computer know-how… they could find out almost anything, if they wanted to.”
My heart lurches. “But we don’t know that I was specifically targeted. It could have just been bad luck.”
Micah hesitates. “Maybe. Hopefully. But we have to consider the other option. It would be dangerous not to.”
The tightness in my chest comes back. “But there’s no reason. I can’t think of anyone...”
“Ruby.” He perches on the edge of the hospital bed and turns to look at me. “I’m not bringing this up because I want to scare you. But you know what I do. Where I work. Right?”
I nod. “Yes.”
“We deal with security issues all the time. Risk assessment and mitigation. System installation and updates. Personal protection. Criminal investigations.”
“And dogs,” I add, feeling stupid the second the words are out. Dogs have nothing to do with what’s going on right now, and I know it.
His features soften. “Dogs, too.” He pauses. “I’ll be honest. I’m worried, Ruby. My gut is telling me it wasn’t a random attack. Not the way it happened, with the glass cutter, and you on the fourth floor… It could have been bad luck. But I don’t want to bank on it either.”
As what he’s saying sinks in, a heavy weight settles in my stomach. “So you think he could come back? And hurt someone I’m with?”
“I don’t know.” Micah’s blue eyes darken as they meet mine. “What I do know is if you were a client, I’d have you staying someplace secure. Like a safe house, or…”
Trailing off, his gaze drifts to the half-open door, where Rogue’s broad shoulder is visible just past it. Then Micah looks back at me. “Or you could stay with me.”
I jolt in surprise. “With you?”
“I have extra security at my condo. F&F installed it. And if anything happened, I could protect you.” He casts another quick glance at the doorway before adding in a low tone, “I was Special Forces. Three years as a Ranger, and five more in Delta. Anyone who comes at me, I can handle them. Trust me.”
Hearing what Micah actually did in the Army, his behavior at my apartment suddenly makes more sense. I don’t know a ton about Special Forces, but I’ve seen and read enough to know that Delta is the best of the best. And working for Fox & Falcon, I’d bet Micah works hard to keep up his skills.
“Stay with you, though?” I turn my phone over in my hands. “That’s too much, Micah. I can’t ask—”
“You’re not asking,” he interrupts. “I’m offering.
” His gaze meets mine. “If you don’t feel comfortable staying with me, I understand.
We don’t know each other that well. But we have apartments at Fox & Falcon, too.
Ones we keep for clients and consultants.
So you could stay there. I’d have to arrange for someone to stay with you tonight, whether it’s me or one of our female employees, if you’d prefer.
But I really think you’d be safer than staying with a friend or”—one eyebrow arches up—“at a hotel by yourself.”
How did he know?
“My friends in the city aren’t available,” I explain weakly. “One of them is a live-in nanny. The other is out of the country until next month. My stepmom lives in Suffern, but… I don’t want to bother her.”
Micah just looks at me for a long moment.
Then he says, “I feel horrible about what happened, Ruby. If I’d only gotten there sooner, or walked upstairs with you…
” Regret clouds his features. “I just want you to be safe. If you’re set on a hotel, at least let me get one of the F&F employees to stay with you. ”
“Micah.” My voice wobbles as the reality of everything slams home.
My apartment isn’t safe anymore. My attacker is still out there, possibly waiting to strike again. I can’t stay with any of my friends, and I wouldn’t want to risk their safety if I could. I’m tired and hurting and scared.
I try to sniff the tears back, but they’re too insistent. Hot and stinging, they fill my eyes. My nose prickles. My throat burns.
“Ah, Ruby.” Micah scoots closer to me. His hand wraps around mine, big and warm and comforting. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Too late,” I blurt. At his stricken expression, I add, “It’s not your fault. I’m just… it’s everything.”
He flips our hands over and rubs his thumb across my palm. “I know,” he says. “And I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that.” His gaze searches mine. “I’ll help you however I can. Whether it’s staying at Fox & Falcon or my place or a hotel.”
But when I look at the three options—a random hotel room, a strange apartment at Fox & Falcon, or Micah’s apartment—there isn’t much to debate. Not really.
I trust Micah. I did before, and tonight’s made me trust him even more. I believe Micah when he says he can protect me. I think he’s being genuine, asking me to stay with him.
And I like him. A lot. Probably more than I should.
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” I ask him. “It’s a big imposition.”
“A big imposition?” Micah nudges my arm with his. Then he flashes me a quick smile. “It’s not an imposition at all. I have plenty of room at my place. You’ll have your own bedroom, of course, with a sitting room and attached bath. You can lock the door from the inside, so you won’t have to worry—”
I nudge his arm back. “I’m not worried. Not about you.”
He traces a little circle on my palm with his finger. “You don’t have to be. I’ll never do anything to hurt you.”
I know we haven’t known each other that long, big picture-wise. But I don’t need to have known Micah for years to believe him. “What about your dog? Will he mind?”
“Sampson?” His smile widens. “He’ll be thrilled. He loves people. And I’m sure he’ll love you.”
A flicker of warmth sparks in my chest. “And you’re sure you don’t mind?”
“I’m sure,” he replies firmly. “I want you to come, Ruby. I mean it.”
I look into his eyes, searching for any reason to say no. A sign of uncertainty. Of regret. Of resigned obligation. But all I see is an earnest offer he’s hoping I’ll accept.
“Okay,” I tell him. “If you’re absolutely sure, I’ll stay with you.”
His smile, which had briefly faded, emerges again. “Okay.” He gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “We’ll get you all set up with some warm tea and some comfy clothes, and if you like, I bet Sampson would keep you company while you sleep. It’ll be alright. You’ll see.”
“Warm tea? Comfy clothes?”
“My mom always made me tea when I had a cold or the flu,” Micah explains. “And she’s a big proponent of comfy clothes. The older and baggier the better.”
A reluctant smile ghosts my lips. “Exactly.”
“So it’s settled then,” Micah says. “You’re coming to my place.”
The spark of warmth catches flame. “I guess I am.”