Page 69 of Iron

I understood why he’d given me the phone. It seemed that he was looking out for me even when I hadn’t asked him to.

“Petra,” Garen said as he answered on the third ring, likely knowing that it was me even though I was calling from a strange number. Not too many people had this way of contacting him.

“How is she?” I asked without a greeting.

“She’s in the bathtub in her apartment. She won’t come out. I’ve been sitting outside the door for an hour.”

“You haven’t checked on her?” I snapped. He knew better than to let her be alone, especially in a bathtub full of water.

“There’s no water in the tub,” he explained like he knew my thoughts. I guess at this point he kind of did. “There’s nothing in there that she can hurt herself with, I took it all out. She keeps whimpering and crying, so I know she’s still… alive in there.”

I didn’t miss the hesitation in his tone. Almost like he couldn’t think about her as being anything but alive and the brief mention that she could be anything but had him choking on his words.

“Garen,” I warned.

I’d never had a problem with him and I hoped not to now. But if it was going to happen, I understood that there was nothing I could do. Nor would I try to. I simply liked to be aware of anything and everything at all times. This one snuck up on me. Which told me that Garen was good at hiding his feelings. Even from me.

“What do you want me to say, Petra?” he asked with a sigh. “I know my place and I wouldn’t jeopardize my job. Strange enough, I like working for you. And besides, it’s not like she sees me anyway.”

“You need to get her out of that bathroom. But do it gently,” I told him. “And the mess?”

“It’s sitting tight for now. I’ve had my hands full here and it’s not like they’re going anywhere. I’ll have it taken care of by morning.”

“I’m coming back,” I told him and moved to get out of the bed.

“Don’t.” His tone halted my movements. “Let me get shit cleaned up first. Stay away just in case someone comes poking around. I’d rather have you away and safe.”

“I can handle what might come,” I told him firmly.

“Yeah, I know you can, Petra. But your face is like a walking billboard that something happened to you.” He let out a tired breath. “Let me handle this, it’s what I’m here for.”

He was right. And I didn’t want the girls to see me like this. Not that it made me feel like I might lose some of my dignity but I didn’t want to take the chance that they’d see any kind of weakness.

It was bad enough Iron and some of his men had.

I wasn’t happy, but I also knew he was right.

“Fine,” I relented and sunk back down into the bed. “See that those bodies disappear. And get her out of that bathroom. Call in some of the other girls if you have to. Just get her out.”

“Yes, ma’am.” There was a pause and I knew he had something else to say because he didn’t hang up. “You sure you can trust them?”

I knew exactly what he was saying.

“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. My eyes went to the door, staring at it as if I could somehow see Iron through it. I didn’t trust people easily, but I trusted him completely. And I knew that if I could trust him then his men were just as good.

“Right,” he said clearly hearing the firmness of my tone. There was no room for him to question it any further. But I couldn’t get mad at it. That was what I’d hired him for, to help watch my back and take care of my girls.

Then he was gone and I sat there with a feeling I wasn’t sure of. I was unhappy being stuck and helpless. Two things I did not like at all.

I wasn’t one for sitting around and hiding but it seemed that I had no choice right now.

“Pet,” Iron said as he slipped into the bedroom.

Seeing my eyes already looking in his direction, he raised a brow.

“I’m fine,” I told him.

“I know,” he said as he moved to the bed.