“You were sixteen.”
She couldn’t accept the absolution so easily. “I wasn’t your average sixteen-year-old.”
That earned her a grin. “You’ve never been average at anything. But you were in uncharted territory. It’s understandable that you got lost.”
What could she say to that? She had been lost. Then Gil had found her. And if she had anything to do with it, she would never be lost again.
Gil pulled the conversation back to the earlier topic. “Did you change your PIN after you found out what she’d done?”
“I did. But I just reversed the numbers.”
“If your mom knew your pin, she could have shared it with her husband.”
Ivy appreciated that he didn’t call him her stepdad.
“I’m investigating both of them. And the lawyers. And Ab. Everyone who knows the details of the money. Preston’s whereabouts are currently unknown. Your mom is on a cruise in the Caribbean. When we find them, we’ll be questioning them both.”
Ivy pressed the heels of her palms into her temples. “I almost can’t believe this is happening.”
Gil walked around the counter and stood beside her. He reached for her hands and pulled her to her feet. Then he wrapped her arms around his waist and slid his arms around her. She couldn’t stop herself from snuggling into his embrace. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.” His lips moved against her hair. “Or take your business from you. Or steal your money.”
She wanted to believe that. But she didn’t. “You can’t promise that.”
“Fine. I promise I’ll do everything in my power to stop anythingbad from happening. I’ll keep digging until I figure out who is behind this. I won’t stop until you’re safe. I can promise you that.”
She heard the sincerity and could feel the intensity that fueled his words.
“Now, a few more things.”
She braced her mind and her body. He must have sensed her tension, because one hand swept up and down her spine in a slow, calming rhythm. “Your bedroom is currently off-limits, so I couldn’t pack a bag. Tessa and Faith are going to show up here soon. They said they would take care of it, and I trust them to do that.”
“Okay.”
“You can’t go home tonight. That’s not me saying that. That’s the Raleigh PD. I’m sure you could argue with Morris, but I don’t think he would listen.”
“He doesn’t seem the type, no.”
“If you want to stay here, you can.”
“I want to stay here.”
“Are you sure? Tessa has a secure apartment. Faith’s home isn’t as secure, but we can get units to patrol, same as here. Luke and Zane have a spare bedroom and lots of firepower. You’d be safe there too.”
She leaned back so she could see his face. He relaxed his hold enough for her to move a few inches, but not enough for her to pull out of his arms. “Do you want me to go to Tessa’s?”
“No.”
“Do you want me to stay with Luke and Zane?”
“No.” Gil’s response was quick and gruff. “I want you to stay here with me.”
“Good. Because I want to stay here.”
His lips quirked. “Good.”
She stared at him. He stared back. He was holding her. Maybe, if she tried, she could talk herself into the idea that everything Gil had done for her since Friday night had been because of their childhood friendship and not because of anything else. If she put forth a reasonable amount of effort, she could even make a case that there’d been nothing romantic about any of their interactions, although she doubted that case would stand up to a trial of her peers, because she had to admit that every woman she knew would take one look at the events of the past few days and tell her Gil was into her. And more than as a friend, what with the hand-holding and protectiveness and general presence he’d been in her life.
But this? There was no mistaking this. This wasn’t a friendly hug. This wasn’t a brotherly embrace. Gil was affectionate, especially with Emily, but he didn’t hold Emily like this. This was a declaration. It should be awkward. Shouldn’t it? But nothing had ever been awkward with Gil, at least not until she made it that way.
