Page 26 of Nowhere to Hide

“If we explain to her that she’d be safe there until I can figure out what to do.”

“And you were ready to write me off after talking to Leo. Now it’s cool?”

“Now, I don’t have fucking options.” Stone’s eyes flashed with anger and desperation.

“This is insane.” I gripped my handlebars until my arms shook. “You don’t even know me.”

“Putting her in a shitty hotel and watching her off shift isn’t going to fly for very long. She needs protecting and you know how to do it.”

“I don’t. Not anymore. You talked to Leo. He knows exactly what I am right now. Fucked-up and not fit for service.”

Not that Leo Kendrick had said that out loud. But he’d sure as fuck written it in my file when he’d recommended me to take leave. It had been ten months and twelve days since I’d felt Milligan bleed out under my hands. I wasn’t any more stable than I was that night.

“He said you were one of his best.”

My gaze swung to Stone. “Liar.”

“I’m serious. Do you think I’d be asking you to do this if I didn’t vet you? Kendrick said you excelled in security, hand-to-hand, research, and you’d be a damn good detective if you ever decided to leave The Kendrick Group.”

I slammed my eyes shut. The fuck he did.

Maybe once upon a time, but not now.

Not after I fucked up so spectacularly.

You didn’t fuck up. I did.

I shut out the voice. Maybe I was really cracking up on the boat alone for so long. Is that why I was hearing my best friend’s voice in my head? As if that was a good plan for protecting this woman.

“I can afford to put her up for a few weeks, but I work four days on, three off. I can’t cover her when I’m working a twelve-hour shift.”

“Dammit, Stone. How can your captain turn her loose with that guy going after her in the hospital?”

“He and Miranda both think that if she goes back to New York she’ll be fine.”

“And you don’t?”

“I’m not willing to find out. And I’m hoping that with some more time she’ll be able to talk about this guy.”

Great.

So we’ll both be basket cases. Sounds like a great time will be had by all.

“You don’t know if she’ll even go for it.”

“I don’t.” Stone crossed his arms over chest. “But she needs time to rest and recover. She’ll be safer with you, and I’ll tell her that.”

“Fuck. You know my boat isn’t that big right?”

“But it’s on the water. He can’t get to her.”

I blew out a breath. “Do you think he’ll try again?”

He nodded. “I’ll give you my files. Everything I put together about this guy, and you can make a decision.”

My brain itched to look through it all. “Sure your boss will be good with that?”

“No. I don’t fucking care. I’m tired of finding dead girls in my city. Maybe a second set of eyes will actually be a good thing.” Before I could open my mouth he stepped closer to me. “I know you were a Ranger. Even fucked-up with whatever you went through, she’ll be safer than without you.”