Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Caitlyn doesn’t want me to come up. It doesn’t take a genius to know this girl is scared and riddled with trauma.
She flinches away from touch, not just mine but the doc’s.
Someone’s either hurting her, or has in the past. Whoever the fuck it is, I’m going to find them and show them what it feels like to be on the other side of a fist.
She’s also out of her damn mind if she thinks I’m leaving her on the fucking sidewalk and not walking her up to her door. If it were up to me, I’d take her home with me. Fuck, I could give her a guestroom or even let her live in the pool house.
My bedroom is free as well.
I shake my head. I don’t know where that thought came from.
I just met this woman. But I’m not opposed to having her in my bed.
That’s not really what she needs or likely wants at the moment, though.
I can be patient. I can wait. I always get what I want in life, and right now, this little ray of sunshine is exactly what I want.
Taking her hand, I lead her up to the building. “What floor?” I ask her.
Caitlyn looks down at our joined palms with a frown on her face. I should let go, give her space, but she’s not pulling away so I’m gonna keep holding on for as long as she’ll let me.
“Um, fourth,” she says.
We enter the building without having to use a key or a code. Reason number one why I have no fucking intention of letting this woman stay here.
“There’s no elevator?” I ask, looking around the small lobby.
“No… You really don’t have to come up. I’m sure you have things you need to be doing,” Caitlyn says.
“Let’s go.” I lead her to the stairs—reason number two she’s not fucking staying in this building.
When we reach the fourth floor, Caitlyn walks up to her door. “Shit,” she curses under her breath.
“What’s wrong?” I scan the small hallway.
“My key was in my bag. I can’t even get in,” she says.
I could easily pick the pathetic excuse for a lock that’s on her front door. I could be inside within seconds—reason number three I have no intention of letting her stay here.
“Okay, guess you’ll have to come to my place then,” I tell her, already making my way to the stairs.
Caitlyn follows, probably because I haven’t let go of her hand. “Wait! I can’t just go to your place.”
“Well, I’m sure as shit not leaving you stranded in the fucking hallway,” I tell her.
I see her intake of breath. She then retreats into herself. “Okay,” she whispers.
“No, it’s not okay.” I stop halfway down the stairs. “I’m sorry for raising my voice at you. I just meant that I’m not going to leave you stranded when you can’t get into your place. Besides, I have a perfectly good guestroom and I’ve been looking for a roommate.”
“I can call a locksmith or something,” she says.
“I’ll have someone come out here first thing in the morning. I’ll bring you back. But tonight, my guestroom is yours,” I tell her.
“Why are you being nice to me?” she asks.
“Why wouldn’t I be? You need help and I’m in a position to help you. What kind of asshole walks away from a woman in need?”
“Plenty,” she says.
“My mother would kick my ass if she got wind I could help and didn’t.” I smirk. It’s not a lie. Most people are afraid of my father, but my mother is way scarier.
“Okay,” Caitlyn says while her eyes remain fixated on the floor.
My finger presses underneath her chin. I don’t pull away, even though she visibly pales at my touch. “I’m not him,” I tell her, once her bright-blue eyes meet mine.
“Who?”
“Whoever put that fear in you. I’m not going to hurt you, Caitlyn. I’m just a friend helping another friend.”
“You don’t know me. How can we be friends?”
“I do know you. You’re Caitlyn.” Without another word, I turn and continue down the stairs.
“Neo?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you hold the hands of all of your friends?” Her glare flicks back to our still-joined palms.
I laugh. “I don’t hold anyone’s hand, solnishko.”
“Then why are you holding mine?”
“Because it feels… right.” I push through the shitty door to the building and scan the street before heading for my car. Opening the passenger side door, I wait for Caitlyn to get inside, then shut it again.
As soon as I slide in beside her, Caitlyn turns to me. “I am really sorry for the inconvenience.”
“You are not an inconvenience.” I shake my head at her, grab my phone, and send Aleski a message.
Me:
Get the CCTV footage of the blocks around the 13th precinct. I want whoever mugged Caitlyn in my basement.
Aleski:
I’ll find them.
I don’t reply. Instead, I throw my phone down into the center console and start the engine. “What do you want for dinner?” I ask Caitlyn as I pull out onto the street.
“Oh, you don’t have to feed me,” she says.
“You’re coming to my house. I’m going to feed you and I’d rather make sure I have the kind of food you like to eat.”
“I eat anything,” Caitlyn assures me. “I really don’t want to be a bother.”