Chapter 6
Cora sat next to Pipe on the Metro, his thigh against her own, and couldn’t remember when she’d felt so safe.
Usually when she used public transportation, especially this late, she was on edge and fully alert.
But with Pipe next to her, looking badass and wearing a scowl on his face, people gave them a wide berth.
She would’ve laughed if she wasn’t so concerned about Lara.
It was hard to believe things had worked out so well.
When she’d left her place earlier that evening to head to the auction, she had no idea what would happen.
If she won the bid for Pipe, she didn’t know when they might go to dinner.
She didn’t know if he’d believe her, or if he’d think she was just some paranoid, desperate, on-the-brink-of-bankruptcy nutcase.
She hated to think anything good about Eleanor fucking Vanlandingham, but the woman had actually done her a favor tonight by being her usual horrible self.
They rode the Metro in silence until they neared her stop.
“This next one is me,” she told Pipe. He nodded and stood, holding his hand out to her.
Cora must’ve stared at his ink-covered fingers for a beat too long, because before she could take his hand, he shoved it into his pocket as if embarrassed.
She wanted to apologize. Tell him it wasn’t that she didn’t want to take his hand, just that she wasn’t used to people helping her.
She wasn’t the kind of woman for whom others, men especially, went out of their way to assist. She wasn’t flirty or coy, and she definitely didn’t come across as helpless.
She dressed for comfort, didn’t wear makeup, didn’t care about using womanly wiles to get her way…
not that she had any. In this city in particular, her attitude didn’t go over well.
People were always trying to impress others, and if you didn’t play the game, you were overlooked.
But this man didn’t seem to care that she’d come to a fancy event in a dress from a big box store and cheap heels. In fact, he hadn’t looked at her any differently after she’d changed into her jeans and sweatshirt.
Making a split-second decision, Cora reached up and took hold of Pipe’s arm and used it to help her stand in the still-swaying Metro car. He immediately tightened his muscles, using his core strength to assist her.
“Thanks,” she muttered.
They stepped off the subway into the mostly deserted station near her apartment, heading for the stairs.
Cora stopped when she saw Milton, the homeless man she’d known for years.
He usually spent the colder nights here in the station.
She stopped beside him, and could feel Pipe’s gaze boring into her as she crouched near the other man.
“Hey, Milt,” she said softly.
The man, who couldn’t be that much older than her, rolled over. At seeing her, he grinned and sat up. “Cora. It’s good to see you. What are you doing out so late, you shouldn’t—” Whatever he was going to say abruptly cut off when he caught sight of Pipe behind her.
“This is Pipe. He’s my friend,” she told Milton. “He’s escorting me home.”
Milton turned back to Cora and said suspiciously, “Haven’t seen him before.”
“I know. He’s going to help me find Lara,” she said in a low tone.
She’d talked to Milton about Lara on a couple of occasions, usually when she brought Milton some food.
He knew that Cora was worried, that she thought Lara had been kidnapped.
Milton might be homeless, and smelly, and drunk a lot of the time, but he was a good man and she considered him a friend.
She didn’t know his story, about how he’d ended up living on the streets, but since she’d felt as if she was days away from being right where he was at times, she never judged him.
Milton stared up at Pipe and narrowed his eyes. “You take care of her,” he said in a menacing growl.
Instead of laughing or rolling his eyes at the empty threat obvious in Milton’s voice, Pipe nodded once.
Respect filled Cora. Not many people looked twice at homeless men and women, whose population seemed to be growing year after year in DC.
The difference between the haves and the have-nots in this city, and many cities across the country, was becoming more and more obvious.
Cora shrugged a shoulder and brought her backpack around so she could unzip it. She reached in and fingered the white envelope under the dress and shoes she’d worn earlier that night. She took out a few bills and held them out to Milton. “Here.”
He looked down at her hand and blinked in surprise. “Nope,” he said with a shake of his head, not reaching for the money.
“Please, Milton. Take it. I’ll be gone for a while, and I’m worried about you with the weather getting colder.”
“That’s too much,” he insisted. “I know you can’t afford it.”
“I can,” Cora lied.
“No.”
“Yes.”
They glared at each other for a heated moment before Milton sighed. “You aren’t going to let this go, are you?”
“No. Please take it. If you don’t, I’ll be stressed out. Then I’ll stop eating and fade away into nothing,” she teased.
Milton rolled his eyes but reached for the money. “Wouldn’t want that,” he mumbled.
“Thank you,” Cora said, then leaned forward and kissed him on his cheek.
He smelled pretty horrible, and his face was dirty, but she didn’t care.
He was a decent man deserving of care and affection.
They’d met when he’d intervened while she was being harassed by two other homeless guys.
He’d saved her that day, and they’d been friends ever since.
“Be careful,” Milton said solemnly.
“I will.” Cora stood and smiled at Milton, then turned to Pipe. “Ready?”
She couldn’t read the expression on his face. He nodded.
They walked toward the stairs once more.
When they reached the street, Pipe asked, “How much did you give him?”
“Two hundred bucks. He’ll probably spend it all on alcohol in the next few days, but I don’t mind.”
“How much do you usually give him?” Pipe asked.
Cora glanced at him. “How do you know I’ve even given him any money before?”
He raised a brow in response.
She sighed. “Maybe five dollars or so. Enough that he can get some coffee and a sandwich at a place around the corner,” she mumbled.
“Hmmmm.”
Cora didn’t know what that noise meant. If he thought it was too little, or if he didn’t think Milton deserved to be given any money. But she wasn’t sorry. All it took was a few life crises and anyone could be in his shoes, at any given time.
She led the way to her apartment building, and when they entered, she turned to Pipe. “It’ll only take me a few minutes to pack.”
He stared at her with another look she couldn’t interpret. Then said, “I’ll walk you up.”
Cora shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’ll be all right.”
But he wasn’t budging. “It’s one in the morning and nothing good ever happens after midnight. I’ll walk you up, Cora.”
Her chest got tight. “Seriously. Just wait here in the lobby for me.”
“No.”
They glared at each other, even as panic tickled in. Pipe couldn’t come upstairs. He couldn’t see her apartment. Despite barely knowing the man, she knew he wouldn’t be happy if he did.
“What are you afraid of?”
Her back straightened. “Nothing,” she said too quickly.
Pipe’s gaze bore into her own. “You’re lying.”
If anyone else talked to her like this, Cora would’ve lost it. Not only had he accused her of being a scaredy-cat, but a liar as well. But the truth was, he was dead-on correct—on both counts. She really didn’t want this man to see her apartment.
As she and Pipe engaged in a stare-down, she realized he wasn’t going to relent.
He was determined to protect her, which was a weird feeling in and of itself, and he wouldn’t let anything she said deter him.
That very stubbornness was one of the things that would help her get to Lara.
But she was beginning to understand it wasn’t good for her own peace of mind.
She finally broke the eye contact, turning toward the elevators. “Fine,” she said belligerently.
To Pipe’s credit, he didn’t crow over her acquiescence.
He simply stood next to her as they waited for the elevator to arrive.
They rode up to her floor in silence. She appreciated that he didn’t comment on the many lights that were out in her hallway, or the nasty smell of the carpet, or the general lack of maintenance in the place.
It wasn’t the Taj Mahal, that was for sure, but it was a roof over her head, and Cora was content with that.
After all the ups and downs she’d had over the years, and the many times she’d had to sleep on Lara’s couch, she’d finally felt as if she was getting ahead when she was able to afford a place of her own again.
And then Ridge fucking Michaels happened.
Taking a deep breath, she turned to Pipe when they reached her door. “Will you wait here for me?” she asked, hoping against hope he’d agree.
He studied her face for a moment before asking, “What don’t you want me to see in your apartment, Cora?”
“Nothing…I just…I don’t really know you,” she finished lamely, lying yet again.
“You think I’m gonna hurt you? Force you to do something you don’t want to do?” Pipe asked, taking a step backward, giving her more space.
Now she felt guilty. “No.”
Pipe stared at her for a few seconds, then nodded stiffly and looked away. “I’ll wait out here.”
Cora sighed. She didn’t want him to feel as if she didn’t trust him.
“No. It’s okay. You can come in.” She turned toward the door, every muscle tense.
He wasn’t going to be happy when he saw her apartment, but it didn’t matter.
As long as he and his friends would help her, it didn’t matter if her living situation was embarrassing.
She wouldn’t change anything about what she’d done, not if it meant helping Lara.