ARGH.
“Stop looking at my medical records,” I snap. “Stop researching me. Just ask questions like a normal person.”
Hurt flickers in his eyes again. “I was trying to help.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from yelling. “Why?”
“Why, what?”
“Why are you helping?”
Nico goes quiet. That line between his eyebrows etches deep. “Because I don’t want you hurt,” he finally says. “And you’re in danger. You know it. I know it.”
Some of the anger fades. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay. That’s fair. I know it’s not the ideal situation. But really, Nico. Just ask. If you want to know about my aunt, or Brian, or?—”
“Alright.”
I blink at him again. “Alright?”
“Yes. You’re right. I’ll ask next time. Unless it’s a life or death situation. Then all bets are off.”
“Wait. Next time?”
“Sofia.” He crosses the room, coming back to stand by the side of my bed. “Listen. I know this isn’t ideal. But I think the best bet is for you to stay with me.”
My mouth drops open.“What?”
His chin lifts. “It makes the most sense. My place is safe. I have plenty of room. There’s a guest suite you can stay in, and I’ll be working a lot, so we won’t even see each other that much.”
Ouch.
I’m not sure why that stings. It just does.
“You said there’s no place else to go,” Nico adds. “Your apartment isn’t safe. Those attackers in the alley, they looked in your wallet. They know where you live. Where you work. And with you not knowing what they look like…”
With a sinking feeling, I realize he’s right. The men who hurt me could live right in my building and I’d have no idea. It could be someone who works in the same office building. It could be literally anyone.
And my apartment isn’t as safe as I made it out to be, either. It’smostlysafe. But I’m on the ground floor. Someone could break a window and be inside in under a minute. If I go home, I won’t be able to go anywhere without worrying. Without being scared.
Without being in danger.
“Look,” Nico says. He waits until my gaze meets his. “What happened before; it’s not important right now. What’s important is keeping you safe. We’ll keep to ourselves as much as we can. You can rest in the bedroom, watch TV, work on those boring puzzles you used to like?—”
“They’re not boring. They’re relaxing.”
The corner of his mouth twitches.
And it throws me right back to the days when he’d help me with my puzzles. When he’d spend hours doing something I know he thought was boring just because I liked it.
Gah.
What he’s saying makes sense. My apartment isn’t safe. I’m not willing to risk my aunt. Or Brian. Moving to Dubai right now probably isn’t an option. So where does that leave me?
But can I really go through with it? Live with my ex when the sight of him makes my heart feel like it’s dying all over again?
While I’m debating, Nico touches my hand. It’s just a brush of his fingertip across my skin. “I know you don’t love the idea. But, Soph.” His expression goes earnest. “I should have been here last night. I knew better. And I’m so fucking sorry. Let me do this, at least. Okay?”
So he wants to help me to appease his own guilt.
