Page 20 of Saving Stella
“This is—wait, you know Cliff?” Charley asked.
“He’s the one who’s been following me?” Stella exclaimed.
“Since yesterday.” The low, rough quality of his voice sent a tiny shiver through her.
“Wait, wait.” Charley waved her hand around. “Explain. Please.”
Stella looked at him, and when he shrugged, she threw her hands up. “I was saving this kid from getting run over?—”
“You were saving a kid?” Devon asked.
“Yeah.” Stella explained what had happened with Ashley earlier that day.
“You nearly got run over by a car?” Devon said, incredulous. “How … God!” He pulled her into a quick embrace. “Cliff, man, thanks for saving her.”
“No prob,” he said. “Just doing my job.”
Devon released her. “See? Aren’t you glad I had someone watching you.” He gritted his teeth. “You can’t go back to that hotel, Stella. What if something happens to you? Is that area even safe? You’re coming home with us.”
“Whoa now.” She put her hands up. “You’re overreacting.”
“You could have been hurt,” he pointed out. “If Cliff wasn’t there …”
“But I wasn’t hurt,” she said. “Devon, please. This is too much. I need some space.”
His expression changed, and his hands dropped to his side. “Stella, I’m sorry, I was just worried about you. I just found you, and I can’t lose you again.”
Charley came up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, then leaned her forehead on his arm. “And you won’t. You’re not going anywhere, are you Stella?”
“Of course not.”
And she meant it. Devon was her family now. Despite the very short time they’d spent together today, she had felt a bond forming with him. She couldn’t live her life not knowing what happened to their parents or their sister.
“Just let her go back,” Charley said. “And Cliff will take care of her, right?”
Her head snapped toward him as she was reminded that he’d been following her since she landed in New York last night.
He didn’t say anything, but nodded.
“You don’t have to do that,” she said. “Really. You can save your money, Devon.”
“Of course he does, and it’s not about the money.” Charley beamed at him. “Cliff not only works for my family’s security firm so this is his job, but he’s also my big brother.”
It took all her might for her jaw not to drop to the floor. Her head swung back from Cliff to Charley as she took in the similarities in their features. Upon closer inspection, she could definitely tell they were siblings.
Plus, there was the scent thing …
“Did you make any plans for tomorrow?” Devon asked.
“Not really, but I was hoping to do some sightseeing. It’s my first time in New York. I was going to get on one of those double-decker tour buses.”
“Oh, God no, only tourists take those buses,” Charley tsked. “If you want, I can take you around. Show you the real New York.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Obviously Devon won’t be able to join us, but he’s got meetings anyway. Then Cliff can take the day off, since I’ll be with you.”
“Sounds great,” Stella said quickly.