Page 87 of Date With Danger
“Ow!” I turn it down before it bursts my eardrums.
Cruz is parked next to us in the hotel parking garage in a black SUV and Caleb approaches her. There’s no hope of trying to eavesdrop as he hands her Justin’s burner. They are talking too quietly, and Caleb would catch me if I rolled down a window or turned the radio off completely.
Caleb says something else to Cruz then turns back to me where I wait diligently like a good listener. He motions me out with his hand.
I follow him in silence to the hotel entrance, then down the hall to the elevator.
I don’t dare speak again until we are in the safety of my room. “Do you think I’m in more or less danger now? That’s why Liam dated me, right, to get to Justin? Or something. I don’t know why since Justin and I weren’t together anymore. But there has to be a reason.” The words spill off my lips like a dam broke, freeing all the thoughts that have been tormenting me.
Caleb scratches his chin, thinking before responding. I’ve always admired people who can do that. My eyes snag on his day-old scruff. Why didn’t he shave at his house this morning?
“Honestly, I don’t know,” Caleb says. “The fact they knew each other could mean a lot of things. Hopefully, this will be the missing link we need to solve this case.”
I can hear his but, even if he refuses to say it. But if not, you may be in more danger than you know.
Maybe I should have stayed with Connor. This empty hotel room gives me way too much privacy and time to think about everything that has gone wrong and what could potentially happen if Caleb doesn’t find Liam soon.
Caleb does a quick sweep of the room, then stands by the door, glancing around as if unsure what to do next. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Honestly?” I shake my head.
His brows furrow and he takes a step toward me, then freezes.
“Do you, uh, maybe want to stay?” I ask.
He looks at me and I catch the hesitation in his green eyes. I know he doesn’t want a relationship. He doesn’t have to remind me. His job comes first, but I also see so much more in him than a man married to his job. There’s a gentleness in everything he does that makes me feel okay when things are so far out of control. He’s a strong comforting presence, calming me when my thoughts run haywire. He may never care for me like I care for him, but I believe him when he says he’ll protect me. And right now I need protection from my own thoughts and fears.
“I...” He clears his throat.
“Just for a couple hours,” I say quickly. “I’m kind of shaken up and my brain is a mess. I thought I knew Justin. But everything I thought I knew is blowing up in my face and I’m sick of it hurting so much.” My voice breaks. “I just need someone—”
He wraps his arms around me. For a moment, it’s another thought my brain can’t seem to process, but then everything from the last thirty-six hours rushes to the front of my brain and spills down my cheeks.
“I’m afraid,” I whisper into his chest.
He scoops me up, securing me in his arms, shielding me from the ever-mounting anxiety. A soldier ready to protect and serve. He sits on the edge of the bed, his hands pressing into my back, reminding me he’s here. I’m safe.
But for how long?
Is Liam coming for me next? How did I end up in this mess?
“You’re safe,” Caleb whispers into my hair as he rubs up and down my back, his touch so achingly soft it only makes me cry harder. I should be crying for Justin. But right now I’m selfishly thinking of myself and Caleb. That’s the only thought in my brain that makes any sense. I’m falling for this man. That might be the most dangerous thing of all.
I continue to cry, but Caleb doesn't shush or stop me. Not once does he try to peel me off of him. He probably knows it would be a lost cause if he did. He has now been claimed by me and where he goes, so must I.
I cry until my head hurts and my snot runs down the front of Caleb’s shirt. But still, he doesn’t release me. I cry until my eyelids are heavy and I’m half asleep, and he still doesn’t release me.
But as my eyes drift closed, I feel the press of his lips to my head. And for the first time in the last twenty-four hours, I truly feel safe.
I jolt awake, wondering where I am for a moment. I blink in the dimness of the room. The sun is still up but the shades are drawn. Psych is playing on the TV and Caleb is…gone? He turned Psych on for me? That thought alone causes contentment to wash over me.
My eyes are heavy and puffy from all the crying, and I feel exhausted even though I slept for nearly two hours. After last night, though, it makes sense. I barely slept a wink. Every time I closed my eyes I saw Justin in my tub. But instead of finding him alone this time, there was always a faceless man waiting for me with a knitting needle. I woke up drenched in sweat multiple times. I know I should probably talk to someone eventually, but right now, Caleb’s presence is comfort enough.
Except, he’s clearly gone.
The light in the bathroom is off. The small chair is empty. But an unfamiliar computer is on the desk, open and awake, which means…Caleb just left.
I rise from the bed and walk over to the computer. I shouldn’t. I’m not a detective, nor will I ever be. But…my ex-fiancé was murdered in my apartment, and well, my amateur sleuthing tendencies are hard to break. I’ve earned this, dang it.