He halts when he sees me, scanning me from head to toe, taking in my wet hair and bare legs. I'm wearing the first thing I put my hands on in my rush to pack - a silky chemise and short set in light pink.
He swallows then drags his gaze away. "I made a couple calls. Your mother is okay. The police are with her. Derek from Citadel Securities is sending one of his specialists to guard her."
I sink onto the bed, flooded with relief. "Thank you."
"The contract is still out on you," he says.
"What about yours?"
He gives a clipped nod. "There's only one way to stop this."
"How?" How do you stop a contract killing? I haven't seen enough action movies to even make a guess.
"You burn it down," he replies in a deadly voice.
A shiver runs down my spine.
"Try to sleep, honey. No one will get to you."
Every inch of my body feeling wrung out but I’m not sure I can sleep knowing I’m still a target. I climb beneath the covers anyway and try to get comfortable.
Dallas switches off the light.
Minutes pass.
Sleep doesn’t come. I’m too aware of the panther prowling around the small motel room. Dallas is as unsettled as I am, and it's keeping us both on edge.
"Dallas," I whisper into the darkness.
"Yes?"
"Why are you helping me?"
I see him turn toward me in the dim light coming through the curtains from the parking lot beyond.
"Because you smiled."
There's so much loneliness in his voice. Does anyone really know Dallas King? Even Archie didn't know his real name.
The name he gave to me.
"Will you sit with me? Please? I don't want to be alone."
He hesitates. "You sure?"
That I want him close? After everything?“Yes.”
He crosses the space and slowly lies down beside me, fully clothed. Careful. Controlled. Like he’s afraid even breathing wrong might break something fragile between us.
He doesn’t touch me.
But the heat of him seeps through the thin cotton of the sheets.
It’s enough.
My body unwinds a little. My breathing slows. And he slowly relaxes.
Sleep claims me before I can thank him.
