He moves a step closer to me, and when he does, I unconsciously do the opposite. His booted feet take root, and his frame jolts like I’ve punched him in the gut, something that would surely hurt me more than him if I were ever stupid enough to try. “You’re scared, and I get it. But I’m not gonna hurt you, Annie. Never. You’re safe with me, and you’ll stay that way, okay?”
I want to believe in him as much as he believes in himself. “Okay, sorry, I just—”
“Don’t apologize. It’ll take time, and I won’t push you, but it’s gonna be me and you for the foreseeable future, so if there’s anything I can do or not do to make you more comfortable, don’t hesitate to tell me.”
Wait. Not Sterling? “Um…me andyou?” I motion between us.
“Yeah. That’s why I’m here, Annie, to take you to the safe house. Didn’t your dad tell you?”
“He did, but he didn’t say who.”
“Well, that’d be me.” He holds his muscular arms out, then crosses them. “Now that that’s established, we can get back to it.”
“Back to what?”
His lips twitch like he’s fighting a smile. “How do you feel about your dad not showing you the pictures?”
The reminder makes me shiver, and Ben doesn’t miss it. “Why?”
“Because despite the fact that your father is paying me,you’remy priority. I need you to trust me, and a part of that is honesty about what’s happening. Some clients want to know everything, some don’t, some—”
“Unless it’ll help with something, I don’t want to see them. I’m already terrified enough knowing someone was following me around with a camera. If I see them…” I rub my arms and shake my head.
“Just how terrified are you?”
“On a scale from one to ten?”
He shrugs. “Sure.”
“Seven…” I have a sneaking suspicion that he’s not lying about the honesty thing, so I tell him the truth. “…teen.”
“You losing sleep because of this?”
The dark circles under my eyes are all the confirmation he needs, but I still answer with a nod.
“Right.” A muscle ticks in his jaw, and he looks like he’s about to say more—but then he moves. In a blink, he pivots, stepping in front of me, one arm sweeping back as his palm brushes my hip.
My dad appears and stops short, taking in the sight of Ben squared off in front of me, solid and unyielding. An amusedsmile tugs at his mouth. “Well, if that isn’t reassuring, I don’t know what is,” he muses. “Looks like you’re gonna be in pretty good hands, Annie.”
“No, sir,” Ben rumbles. “Pretty good isn’t acceptable.” His hand presses more firmly at my side, and for the first time, I feel his strength. But it’s not his power that makes me feel safe, it’s his promise. “With me, Annie’s in the best hands.”
Ismellliketheocean.
Ben
Four months later.
“You can watch the security cameras from anywhere else in this house,” Annie sasses between bites. “It doesn’t have to be in the kitchen with me, let alone two feet away.”
I keep my focus on the computer screen in front of me while I answer. “Being in another room wastes valuable time getting to you if there’s an imminent threat, which means I do have to be two feet away.”
She sighs, and I know the girl well enough to know she’s rolling her eyes at me. More accurately, I know almost everything there is to know about her since I’ve been at her side for nearly four months.
“You’re making me nervous,” she lies.
“I’m keeping you safe.”
“I’d be just as safe if you were in the living room and not sitting across from me while I eat my Froot Loops,” she retorts.
