Page 19 of Sackett (Demented Souls #17)

S ackett helped Selena out of the car while Maverick grabbed their bags from the back. They were on their way to the door when Maverick handed him his bag. He swung it over one shoulder and let it settle onto his back while still moving.

“That’s all you have?” Selena said with a frown.

“It’s all I need.” He and Maverick had given nearly everything Malice and the others had brought down with them back, except for a pair of pistols.

They wouldn’t be going unarmed until they knew the threat was over.

What they’d do with them when it was time to go, he wasn’t sure yet, but he’d figure it out.

He and Maverick took positions on either side of Selena as they went inside and to the elevator. They wanted to be sure that if anything happened, they were in position to keep her from getting hurt.

When they reached the room, he waited in the hall while Maverick cleared the room, making sure there was no one who shouldn’t be in the room and that the room hadn’t been obviously ransacked.

“Clear,” Maverick’s voice carried from the bedroom.

Sackett let Selena into the room, closing the door then locking the deadbolt and flipping the flimsy chain replacement lock.

“You’re safe and in for the night, do whatever you need to do,” Sackett said turning back to where Selena stood in the middle of the room, looking a little lost. He watched as she took a deep breath and seemed to pull herself together. She looked up and met his gaze.

“First thing I’m going to do is to order food. Then I’m going to take a shower while I wait for it to be delivered. I haven’t had anything but a few bottles of water since breakfast and that was just coffee.”

“It’s after one a.m. What’s open?”

“Not much from the looks of it,” Maverick said from where he stood near a sliding glass door.

“And if you go for delivery it’s going to cost twice as much.

” He shook his head. “There’s a Denny’s not too far away.

Tell me what you want, and I’ll go pick it up.

” He turned his phone so he could type more easily and took a step closer before glancing up at them.

“You don’t have to do that,” Selena dropped her gaze and looked away. “I’m sure you’re tired.”

“I’m not going to be sleeping anytime soon anyway. Plus, I’m hungry too. What about you?” He looked up at Sackett.

“I could eat.”

“Then tell me what you want. The sooner I leave the sooner I’ll be back.”

It took her a moment to give her his order then she disappeared into the bedroom and closed the door behind herself. Sackett gave Maverick his order then glanced at the door where Maverick had been standing a moment before. “Did you check the balcony?”

“I did. And I locked the door in the bedroom and made sure there was something blocking it. I know we’re four floors up but it’s not impossible.”

“There’s a door in her room too?”

“Yeah, but just one balcony.”

Sackett nodded, not sure if it would matter, but it was good to know.

Maverick left and a few minutes later, Sackett heard the shower turn on.

He glanced around the room, wondering how she felt about having two near strangers stay the night in her room with her?

Not that it mattered as long as she stayed in Colorado, he would be here too.

And since she’d said something about staying for court, that meant he’d be here through that too.

He’d have to talk to Maverick about whether he was staying, but he’d do that after his brother got back, probably after Selena went to bed.

The room wasn’t bad, as far as it went. There was a small kitchenette, divided from the rest of the room by a desk with a lamp then a sofa and chair before the door to the balcony on one wall was two doors, he knew one led to the bedroom and from where the sound came from, he assumed the other led to the bathroom.

That would make using the restroom while she slept much easier, especially since she wouldn’t be staying in the room alone.

Even if they’d managed to get another room, it would only be for one of them to sleep in. As long as she was here, there would be someone in the room with her, and if Sackett had his way, it would be him.

By the time the shower shut off, he’d discovered that the sofa was a fold out bed. At least one of them would get a little sleep, as it was way too short for either of them to lay on. He’d figure out which took it, him or Maverick, after Selena went to bed.

A few minutes after the shower turned off, the door to her bedroom opened.

Sackett looked up and found her standing there, eyes wide.

Her face had been cleaned of any makeup, and she looked younger, more fragile than before.

He wasn’t sure if it was because her hair lay combed but wet or that she wore an oversized T-shirt and long fuzzy pants that reminded him of the socks Maverick had gotten for her.

He liked this version of Selena even more than the buttoned up, prim lawyer.

“Food’s not here yet?” Her voice was soft, as though she wasn’t sure how to approach him.

“Not yet. It’s only been about twenty minutes. I don’t know how far away Denny’s is, but they’ll have to cook and pack it before he can bring it back.” He looked down, wondering what he could say that wouldn’t send her back into the bedroom. “How are you feeling?”

She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. He leaned back and watched her, trying to see what she wasn’t going to tell him. She looked tired, but not defeated. Far better than she had in the car while Colt had taken care of her feet.

“Tired, but better now that I’m clean.” She sat in the chair beside the sofa, sitting on the edge of the seat, but leaning all the way back so she resembled a small child in a chair that was way too big for them.

He slid closer and patted his leg. “Let me take a look at your feet.” Sackett wasn’t sure she’d do it, but he’d give her the chance to lift one foot or both before he bent and picked one up.

“They’re fine.”

“I’m sure they are, but I’d like to take a look.

Make sure the walk inside, and your shower didn’t break things open and have you bleeding beneath the bandage.

Or that the water didn’t compromise the bandage, and you could use another coating or two.

” He patted his thigh again, hoping she’d give in, and he wouldn’t have to push the issue.

With a sigh that told him she wasn’t happy about it, she lifted one foot, then the other and propped them on his leg.