Ant studied her face. “You’re not scared?”
“I was,” she admitted. “But scared doesn’t help the girls that he took.”
That hit him like a punch in the gut. “You’re thinking about them.”
“I can’t not think about them,” she said softly. “I keep wondering if they thought they could handle him, too.”
Ant reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “You did handle him.”
“With your help,” she reminded. “If you weren’t there, I don’t know what I would have done.”
He didn’t argue with her because he had read the guy’s rap sheet, and he was dangerous. If she had to go toe to toe with him, Ant knew that Ruby would be in over her head. He looked her over, noticing that there was a new steadiness in her now. She was shaking less and seemed harder.
“I want to help,” she said
“No,” he growled.
Her chin lifted. “Don’t shut me out, Ant. This is my life.”
“I’m not shutting you out, Ruby,” he replied evenly. “But you don’t go chasing him. That’s not your fight.”
Her eyes flashed. “He made it my fight.” The room felt like it was charged with tension.
Ant leaned closer, his voice low. “And I’m not losing you because you feel responsible for the other women that he kidnapped.”
“You don’t get to decide that alone,” she shot back. There it was again—this push and pull between protection and autonomy.
He exhaled slowly, reigning himself in. “Okay. Then we do this the smart way. You let me stick with you. I need youprotected, that way if he’s watching, we’ll know. He won’t be able to get to you as easily.”
Ruby’s gaze narrowed. “You think he might come back?”
“I think men like him don’t like unfinished business,” Ant admitted.
Silence filled the bedroom, and then, she nodded. “Then I won’t be alone. I’ll follow your rules.”
“You won’t be alone, honey—ever. And thank you for that,” he said firmly.
She squeezed his hand. “And you won’t go off chasing him without telling me, right?” she asked. That made him pause. Chasing down the bad guys was his job. How could he tell her that he’d run his every move by her first?
“You don’t get to disappear either,” she added.
Possessive tension had shifted into partnership, and he respected that.
“Fine,” he said. “We move together. You know what I know, and I’ll know what you’re doing.”
Relief flickered across her face, and he brushed his thumb over her knuckles. “But if he resurfaces anywhere near you?—”
“I call you,” she finished.
“And?” he asked.
“And I won’t try to handle him solo,” she promised.
“Good,” he breathed.
She leaned forward, pressing her forehead lightly to his. It wasn’t a romantic gesture this time. “Find him,” she whispered.
Ant felt something cold and focused settle in his chest. “Oh, I will,” he promised.
