Chapter Six
Alana
If someone had told her she would be moving in with Drew last week, she would have laughed.And laughed and laughed and laughed.But there was nothing funny about this.Nothing funny about seeing the most important parts of her life in a few boxes and bags.Her intercom buzzed.Drew.He was here.She carried the three bags she could, but there were still five more and a few boxes.
She headed down the single flight of stairs and stopped in her tracks.Drew was talking with Ian, who was nodding, his head down.She took a few steps closer.The man looked to be shaking.Drew’s mouth was moving so quickly she couldn’t even begin to try and work out what he was saying specifically.Although it didn’t take a genius to figure it out.Her heels clicked against the floor, and the two men lifted their gazes at the sound.
Ian looked to Drew like he held his life in his hand.
“Well, go on,” Drew drawled.“Apologize.”
She hadn’t heard this tone of voice.Lazy, with a promise of violence, like the lighting of a flame, it could ignite or it could be put out, depending on the outcome.Well, nothing was igniting today.
“I’m sorry, Alana.I really truly am.”
She nodded her head.“It’s fine, Ian.”She turned to Drew before he could open his mouth again.“I still have things upstairs.Would you mind?”
He slunk past her, on his way to get her things.She packed what she’d carried into the car, refusing Ian’s help.For some reason, she couldn’t stand the idea of him touching her things anymore, like he’d been sullied by what he’d done, and she didn’t want it spreading, contaminating her.The first drop of rain fell, and she looked at the sky.The heavens were about to break, and all she wanted was to be tucked up in her own bed, in an oversized shirt, her only care being her clients and ensuring they all got what they needed.
Drew came back, carrying everything.His muscles rippled in his back and arms, the rain falling on him, glinting on him.She forced herself to look away.Before she knew it, they were on their way.
“So, how come you’re driving?”she asked.She’d never seen him without his driver.
“Can’t risk it.No one knows the location of my safehouse.”His eyes flitted to her.“Except you now.”
“Well, I’m honored.”She sighed, sinking down further in her seat, her body sticking to the leather.
He chuckled, deep and throaty.“There’s everything you need.Let me guess, bath, tea, bed?”
Her eyes flew to him.
“Just to be clear, that’s not an invite, or I mean ...unless you want company for all those things.”The corners of his mouth lifted.
She couldn’t help it.A laugh bubbled out of her.
“Yes to all, minus the company.But first I want to make those calls.”
He nodded, fingers gripping the steering wheel tighter.
They rode in silence the rest of the way, until he finally stopped at a random house.
