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But Elian cut me off.
“You could come stay with me.”
“What?” I asked, sure I misheard him.
He almost looked as surprised as I did for a second before, suddenly, he was nodding. “Yeah. You could come stay with me. I have room. You will be safe there. You could continue to go to work, so long as you leave before you’re alone in the office, and then come back to my place until you get the recording you need. Then… you can decide from there what to do.”
“I couldn’t ask—“
“You’re not asking,” he cut me off. “I’m offering. I understand you don’t exactly know me, either. And I know this might sound cocky as fuck, but I’m probably the only person who could keep you safe right now if you’re insisting on staying in Brooklyn.”
He was right, I didn’t know him.
Save for knowing he was a literal member of the Italian mafia.
But he’d saved me, a complete stranger, from being gunned down on the sidewalk. He’d taken me to get medical care. He’d come running when I called upset about the break-in.
Maybe, objectively, this man was closer to these Bratva guys than he was to a normal person like me. But wasn’t that what made him the right kind of guy to protect me? At least for a day or two? Hopefully that was all I needed to be able to get the recording and turn it over to the proper authorities. And maybe some news stations, just to keep the police accountable as well.
Was it taking a risk to trust a stranger? Yes. But it was just as risky to stay here, wasn’t it?
“Kevin…” I said.
“Can come,” he said, nodding. “You can even bring that hideous tower if you want,” he said, making my lips curve up for the first time in what felt like days as we both turned to look at the stand in question where Kevin was sitting licking his paws.
“It will only be for a day or two,” I insisted.
“It can be as long as it needs to be,” he said, shrugging. “So pack heavier than you hope you’re going to need, just in case. Is there anything you want me to get together?”
“Would it be insane of me to ask you to bring the espresso maker?” I asked, glancing over at it. I wasn’t sure I could motivate myself to go into the office without my usual morning treat.
“Probably,” he agreed, eyes bright. “But I’ll grab it while you get everything else ready. Do you want the tree stand?”
“It’s his favorite thing in the world,” I said, tone apologetic.
“Then we’ll bring it. Go get packed.”
With that, I did, rushing into my closet to grab my biggest rolling suitcase, a duffle bag, and a weekender, then throwing a bunch of clothes in before going to get necessary things from my bathroom.
I even stopped to grab my fireproof bag full of my essential documents and tucked that in as well. Just in case someone came back into my apartment while I was gone and took my things.
Finally, I made my way out to the kitchen to find that Elian had located one of the delivery boxes I hadn’t broken down, and had stuffed my espresso machine, my beans, and my syrup into it.
I rushed around to grab a bunch of things for Kevin—food, bowls, and one of his beds—before locating his soft carrier and wrangling the unhappy cat into it.
“Your meds,” Elian reminded me, gesturing toward the cabinet where I kept them.
“Right,” I agreed, emptying them into my purse.
“We’re going to need to do several trips,” I said, looking at all the stuff I’d accumulated.
“No. We’re gonna do this in one,” he said, starting to grab my duffle and weekender bags, throwing them up his shoulders, then walking over to grab the tree stand with one hand and then coming back for the box with the other.
“Oh, I forgot his litter box.”
“Is it a special one?” he asked.
“Ah, no…”