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Okay, he should have known better than to make that suggestion. There had to be a way to keep her safe while she earned a paycheck. An idea sprang to mind. “I could get you a job at Six Points.”

Dorcas stared at him as though he were a few bricks short of a full load. “Doing what? I’m not what you’d categorize as bodyguard material, and I don’t have Nina’s computer skills.”

“No, but you’re good with people. I’ve seen the way you handle customers.” More important, he’d seen the way she handled high-maintenance customers at the restaurant. It took a particular skill set to turn a pain in the ass into a happy camper, and she’d done it without breaking a sweat. “We could use somebody like you. Austin’s been talking about hiring an admin to handle the office. With your work ethic, you’d be a natural.”

“I wouldn’t know what to do. I’ve never been an admin.”

“What a coincidence. We’ve never had one. It’ll be a learning experience for both of us.” He gave her a smile, but she didn’t smile back, an indication that he’d pushed her about as far as she was willing to go. For now, at least. From what he could tell, she didn’t react to change well, so it might be best to give her some time to mull it over and touch back on it later. Reaching out, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Think about it, okay?”

“I will.” Her expression softened, and he hoped that meant she wasn’t totally closed to the possibility of switching jobs. But the worry lines remained on her brow, and he felt bad about putting them there. “Where am I going to live?”

“I’m sure Austin and Nina would be happy if you stayed with them. Or, if you want, you can crash at my place.”

She cocked one eyebrow. “I thought you said you had a one-bedroom apartment.”

“That’s right. You can take my room, and I’ll sleep on the couch.” Unable to resist, a grin curved his mouth. “Or we could share the room. I promise to behave.”

“Behave like what?”

When his grin widened, she playfully swatted his shoulder.

Not one to be distracted for long, her expression sobered. “How long do I have to live like this, like an animal being hunted?”

“I wish I could give you a definitive answer, but I can’t. I’m sorry.” He touched his forehead to hers and felt his equilibrium shift, as if his entire world had just tilted on its axis. With it came a skip in his pulse and a stutter at the base of his throat. Having her living in his apartment would be torture, but he was a patient man, and he wasn’t about to push her into something she wasn’t ready for. “I promise I won’t let anybody hurt you. And I’ll do everything in my power to find your sister. Wewillfind her; it’s only a matter of time. But keep in mind we might learn things about Rita that you may not like.”

From the way her lips flattened into a grim line, he could tell she wasn’t happy with what he’d told her, but resigned to the possibility. “Can we go to my apartment so I can pick up a few things? And I need to stop by work to let them know I won’t be coming in. If I play my cards right, they might not fire me outright.”

In his heart, he knew she’d never work at that restaurant again, but he understood her need for normal. Boring, routine, normal, where no one tried to kill her, and her sister wasn’t hip-deep in shady shit.

“Sure thing, babe. We’ll swing by Six Points first so we can deliver the drive to Larissa. The sooner we get this to her, the sooner she can tell us what’s on it. I’ll have a couple of the guys tag along for backup, just to be safe.”

Chapter 13

DORCAS HATED CHANGE.

Perhaps it was because of her turbulent childhood. Or it might be the way she was wired. No matter the reason, if given the choice, she preferred a structured, stable environment. She hated surprises. Didn’t take risks. Hell, she didn’t even play the lottery. Others might find it boring, but she found comfort in familiarity.