“I didn’t want to park along the street in case someone was watching.We can exit through the back of the building and through some of the shops.I parked a few blocks away.There are two security details in unmarked cars at the front of the building.They’ll report anything suspicious.”
“Thank you, Jude.”She squeezed his hand.“Thank you for keeping them safe.”
The words dried up in his throat.It seemed silly to tell her they were important to him too after just meeting them, but the way Jess had welcomed him with open arms and the way Ash had offered him comfort meant something.They walked to the back exit, and Jude scanned the area looking for anything out of place.He gave Ivy’s soft hand a quick squeeze.
“Come on,” he said and crossed into the next building.The strip of shops and cafés provided the perfect cover, and they were able to walk directly through to the other side.It would’ve been easy to discern if someone was following them through the stores.Once on the opposite side of the street, they skirted through side alleys, avoiding reflective puddles that shined with swirls of oil and other unidentifiable sludge.They crept past the scarred brick walls, piles of cardboard, and broken glass bottles.With each step, he stayed in tune to the sounds of the city, listening for anything amiss.The far-off scream of sirens melded with jazz music drifting out one of the open windows.A rustling from behind one of the dumpsters made him pause and reach for his weapon, pushing Ivy behind him.
“Look, Jude.”Ivy gripped his bicep.“It’s just a kitten.”
The tiny thing was filthy.Skin and bones.Before he could stop her, she rushed over and scooped it up.He stared down at her, not sure what she planned on doing with it.
“What?”Her eyes widened with a hopeful gleam.“We can’t just leave him here.The poor thing is starving.”
He glanced around but didn’t see a mother cat anywhere.“Jesus, woman.Okay.Let’s try to make it to the car without picking up any more strays, yeah?”
Her soft giggle was the only response he received.As they rounded the corner to the main road, feet shuffling along the sidewalk as people went about their day was audible.Ivy kept the pace with him, even with the kitten in her arms.He scanned the area, looking for threats.“Almost there.If I ask you to do something—”
“Do it immediately, no questions asked.”
The corners of his lips twitched.“How’d you know?”He was still on guard, even when they reached the SUV.He’d returned the truck to the satellite office earlier that morning, and Jon had taken him to his usual vehicle.
“It just sounded like something you might say,” she said with a little smile lighting her face.Even amid potential danger, she was still able to smile.Fucking amazing.Relief hit him hard once she slid into the SUV.He closed the door quickly and rounded the back of the vehicle.Jude glanced over to make sure Ivy was buckled and checked the rearview mirror before starting the engine.He pulled away from the meter, passing hotels and business storefronts, some with striped awnings and others with graffiti.A large city bus came to a screaming halt in front of them, the air brakes whistling, as it came to a hard stop.A tiny wail startled him.He’d forgotten about the little cat.Reaching toward the floor of the back seat, he felt around until his hands hit soft fabric.
“Knew I had a sweatshirt lying around back there.Why don’t you wrap him up?I think we go by a pet store somewhere up here.I’ll pull in and grab a few things.”
“That would be great.”She smiled at him, and even with the danger that possibly surrounded them, her expression stripped him of air.“He looks so thin, like a light breeze would send him tumbling.”
He didn’t disagree, but he didn’t have the first clue how to take care of a kitten.Once this was all over, she’d have to take it home with her.For some reason, the thought made his stomach harden.It wasn’t like she was going to live with him forever.He spotted the store in question up ahead and flipped on his directional.After choosing a parking space as close as possible to the front of the building, he leaned in and kissed the side of her head.
“I’ll be right back.Keep the doors locked until you see me.”
“Thanks,” Ivy whispered.He doubted the sound of a freight train would wake the sleeping kitten, but he wasn’t surprised by her thoughtfulness.Not in the least.Jude jogged into the store, passing a wall of colorful fish on one side and fake plants, nets, and water treatments on the other.He spotted another aisle holding terrariums with lizards and snakes before seeing the cardboard cutout of a cat.
“Do you need help, man?”A kid who couldn’t be more than sixteen, looked at him with pity.“You look pretty lost.”
“I found a stray kitten.No clue what I need, and it doesn’t look to be in the best shape.”
“Yeah, no problem.”The kid turned and grabbed a plastic litter box, liberally filling it with plastic toys, shampoo, and treats.
“Is that a baby bottle?”he asked as the store associate tossed another item into the litter box.
“You said it was a kitten, and it didn’t look good.It was probably separated from its mother and might be too young to eat cat food.I’m going to throw in the bottle and pre-made formula.You can also buy some kitten food and leave it on the ground to see if it will eat it.Oh, and here’s some wet food, too.”Once the teen was done stacking up the mountain of shit, he made his way to the front and paid for the purchases.The tension that had been building in his gut since he’d left Ivy alone in the parking lot unraveled when he spotted her still seated in the passenger seat cuddling the little kitten close to her body.
Her eyes went wide as she observed the pile of supplies in his arms.“I had no idea what to buy but if the teenage associate works on commission, we might’ve just paid his college tuition.Let’s get home and get that thing cleaned up before you get fleas.”The kitten was still out cold when they pulled into at the apartment’s parking garage.He hefted out the supplies and walked around the vehicle to open Ivy’s door.The bright smile she gifted him with gave his heart a pang.He helped her out of the car as she awkwardly maneuvered the kitten and he shielded both of them with his frame as they walked quickly to the locked door.He punched in a code, then held the door open for her.Once inside they took the elevator to his floor.
“This is beautiful,” Ivy breathed as they walked through the spacious hallway.There were several sitting areas placed beneath glass-blown light fixtures.
He supposed the space looked more like a luxury hotel than an apartment.“I rented in this building based on the security features alone.There’s an indoor and outdoor pool, a fitness center, and a lounge, but I’ve never made the time to take advantage of them.”He wondered what she would think of the in-ground hot tub on his balcony.The private spa was something he rarely used, but lust coiled low in his gut as he imagined Ivy slipping into the hot, bubbling water beside him.
They finally reached his door, and he balanced the purchases while he located his key.He gestured for her to enter first, then set the litter box down and began sifting through the supplies from the pet store.“We have some flea and tick shampoo.How about I fill up the sink, and we’ll get the little guy washed up?”
“Sounds good, although, he might not appreciate being woken from his nap.I don’t think cats are known for their love of water.”
“I think you might be right.”He moved across the dark wood floors and into the first bathroom.The cat was so tiny, the sink would offer more than enough room to get the animal washed up.He put the plug in the drain, turned on the taps, then tested the water to make sure it was warm.Ivy came in with the kitten and unwrapped it slowly from the sweatshirt.The kitten stretched and yawned.With a curious expression, it wobbled across the vanity and sat by the faucet, batting at the running water.
The kitten let out a shriek and lost its footing, toppling into the water.Ivy reached for the kitten at the same time he did, and their hands overlapped as they steadied the frightened animal.Jude removed his hands, then made quick work of opening the shampoo.He poured a liberal amount into his hands, lathering up the kitten.It didn’t seem to mind one bit, arching into his fingers as he worked the soap into its coat.
“I thought he might be brown,” Ivy said cupping her hand to rinse away some of the soap.“But it’s starting to look like a mix of white and orange.”
