“I can take care of myself.”
Drew barely held back a snort. She’d been kidnapped once and almost successfully a second. True she’d managed to escape on her own the first time but traffickers were ruthless. She didn’t stand a chance on her own.
Shay turned to face him in her seat. “You don’t believe me?” She asked when he hadn’t said anything.
“You managed to get out of the club.” He ceded. That was as much as he was willing to admit. She was just no match for the number of men that had been about to take her. Surprise was the only reason he’d gotten lucky with only a few scratches.
“I hadn’t meant for the fire to get so big. I just wanted a distraction.” Her tone gentled. He could hear the remorse in her voice.
He didn’t point out she decimated the second floor. “It was a smart distraction and obviously worked.”
They drove in silence after that. Drew kept checking the rearview mirror to make sure they weren’t being followed. Feeling they were safe he headed for the parking garage of his office.
“Where are we?” Shay looked around, alarm dancing in her eyes.
“A parking garage.” He stated the obvious as he got out.
Shay scowled at his attempt at humor and followed him. “I can see that, but why? Is this where another car is going to show up and haul me off somewhere?”
“You’ve seen too many movies? Are you always this suspicious of everyone?”
Shay’s shoulders slumped. “No,” She softly admitted. “At least I didn’t use to be. A few days ago my life was sunshine and rainbows. Now I don’t know who to trust.”
“You can trust me.” He said earnestly leading the way to the elevator. He didn’t know why it was so important to him, but it was. The thought was frightening. Once again, he was allowing her to distract him.
“I don’t even know you.” She stayed rooted in the garage, refusing to enter the enclosed space with him.
“Drew Granger, I already told you. I can show you my ID if you don’t believe me.” Shay still hadn’t budged. He sighed heavily. “Look, I can’t go into details about what I do. But need I remind you I’ve saved you twice now. That should show you I’m not a threat to you.”
Shay rolled her eyes. “You could be doing that to confuse me into trusting you. You come in like the knight in shining armor and rescue me and get injured for me.” She said pointing at his side. “Oh my god you’re hurt.” Her tirade ended in concern as she closed the distance between them and touched his injury.
He hissed and drew back in pain. Oh yeah, he almost forgot about that. The driver had gotten a lucky shot in. “It’s ascratch.” Now that they were both in the elevator, he pressed the button to his floor.
“Let me look at it.” She reached for the hem of his shirt and started lifting it.
Quick as a rattlesnake he snatched her wrist and held her away. “It’s fine.” He growled harshly. Damn, she had no idea the effect just that gentle touch of her fingers over his skin had done to him.
“Drew, please. You were injured because of me.”
“I’ve been injured enough to know its not serious.” More times than he wanted to count. If she saw his body she’d understand. He was well acquainted with pain. Not that he would ever give her the chance to see. His scars were enough to turn his own stomach.
“I’m a nurse, well at least learning to become a nurse. I know how easily a scratch can get infected. I’d hate for you to get an infection and die.” His stomach flipped at the earnest in his eyes.
“You’re suddenly concerned about a man who may or may not be luring you into another kidnapping?” Ideas played in his head of her wanting to play doctor. He had a few boo boos he could think of for her to kiss and make feel better.
Her eyes heated as if she heard his thoughts. The corner of her lip twitched like she was fighting back a smile.
His mind flashed back to last night when they danced and the smile, she’d given him. It was brighter than the brightest starlit night. “It’s the least I could do for causing you to get hurt.”
Drew debated if he should agree to this. It was idiotic of him to even be contemplating it. He didn’t like people touching him. One look at her beseeching eyes and he knew he couldn’t deny her.
The elevator opened and he rushed out to escape her intoxicating flowery scent that made him think of long summer days and other forbidden thoughts. Here he could think clearer.
He pulled out his phone from his back pocket and called Lucas. He had something else to take care of.
“What’s up?”
“I need a wipe.”
