Once his sweatshirt was over her head, he gripped her thighs. “I’m going to your apartment.”
Her eyes flared. “You don’t want to see it.”
“I’ve seen worse.” He slipped a piece of hair behind her ear. “Will you be all right while I’m gone?”
“Yeah. I might, um, lie down if that’s okay. I’ve got the worst headache.”
He cupped her cheek, studying her eyes, wishing there was more color to her skin. “I’ll get you some Tylenol.”
“I’ve already taken aspirin. But I think the two are okay to take together.”
“As a one-off, it’s actually a more effective painkiller combination.”
He pulled back the covers at the head of the bed before going into the kitchen and grabbing a glass of water and two pills. When he returned, Bonnie was still exactly where he’d left her.
She took the pills and water.
“Do you want me to call your brother or sister?” he asked.
She shook her head before he’d finished speaking. “I’m tired. I’ll call them tomorrow.”
“Okay. I’m going to call Jesse though. He needs to know what happened.”
Her brow creased. “I’m not up to talking to him tonight.”
“I know.”
She nibbled her bottom lip before looking at him again. “Thank you.”
“I’m so fucking angry for you. But you coming to me…that’s the only part I’m grateful for.”
She leaned forward, her temple touching his chest.
For a moment, he didn’t move. He couldn’t. She trusted him to protect her. To look after her. To hold her. And fuck, that was everything.
It wasn’t until she sat back that he forced himself up and out of the room.
When he reached the hall, he locked his apartment door before crossing to hers. The door was still open, and he saw the mess the second he stepped inside. It sat on the dining table, lid open, a headless mouse on top of the pizza.
Dead. This person who was messing with her was going to breathe his last damn breath pretty fucking soon.
It took every ounce of self-restraint he possessed to remain inside the apartment. To turn around and search the place for Bonnie’s cell. It was on the dresser in her room. He lifted it and searched for the number he was looking for.
Jesse answered immediately. “Bonnie, is everything okay?”
“This is Zane Merrick.”
There was a small pause. “Why are you calling from Bonnie’s cell?”
“Someone decapitated a mouse and left it on top of a pizza by her front door.”
Jesse cursed viciously. “I’ll be there in ten.”
“Bonnie isn’t up to talking to anyone tonight. But I’ll send you my number and a photo of the pizza box. Text me when you arrive and I’ll let you into her apartment.”
“Is she okay?”
“No. Not even a little bit.”
