“Yeah, baby. I’m sure.”
Her face crumbled. “Thank God!”
Lexi threw herself in his arms and Trevor held on tightly. He could physically feel her fear as her entire body shook against his.
“I was s-so s-scared. I thought he w-was going to k-kill me.”
“I know, baby,” Trevor crooned as he rubbed her back. “I’m so sorry.”
“W-why?” She hiccupped as she pulled back, wiping her tears with her palms. “It’s not l-like you knew this w-would happen.”
Trevor shook his head. “Still. I could have had someone watching you while I was away. I could have—”
“You get away from her right this minute!”
A loud, shrill voice coming from the direction of the road had both their heads turning. A slender, silver-haired woman was barreling toward them wearing a light blue bathrobe that buttoned up the front and a matching pair of house slippers.
“Alexis?” The elderly woman’s eyes were wide, and she was clearly alarmed. “Good heavens, are you okay? What happened?” Without giving her a chance to answer, she turned her attention back on Trevor. With one fist raised, she yelled, “What have you done to my sweet Alexis? You get away from her right now, you hear? The police are on their way, and when they get here, they’re going to arrest you!”
Trevor seriously thought the woman was going to try to wallop him, until...
“Mrs. Siemens, no!” Lexi pushed against Trevor’s chest to stand. When he tried to stop her for fear she was injured, she quickly assured him she was fine and stood. “This is Trevor,” she laid a hand on the old woman’s frail shoulder. “He’s my...” Clearly unsure what she should call him, Lexi hesitated, her eyes sliding back to his.
Trevor decided to help her out. Now standing beside her, he held his hand out to Mrs. Siemens. “I’m Lexi’s boyfriend, Mrs. Siemens. Trevor Matthews.”
“Boyfriend?” She sounded shocked,but shook his hand, anyway. “Alexis, you never told me about any boyfriend.”
“It’s...new.”
As if she’d just noticed her neighbor’s busted door and window, Mrs. Siemens gasped. “My stars, what happened here?”
“A man broke into Lexi’s house tonight and tried to hurt Lexi.” Trevor swallowed hard and did his best not to show the fear he still felt from seeing her with that man. “Did you see or hear anything suspicious?”
“A man broke into your house?” She swiveled her head toward Lexi. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“I-I’m a little bruised and shaken up, but I’m okay. Thanks to Trevor.” To him, Lexi whispered. “If you hadn’t come along when you did...”
Unable to keep from touching her, Trevor grabbed her hand and gently pulled her to his side. He was barely keeping his shit together, but kissed the top of her head and forced himself to sound calm when he said, “I’m just glad I showed up when I did.”
“From the looks of things, I am, too,” Mrs. Siemens exclaimed as she surveyed the damage once more. “And to answer your question, no. I was about to go to bed when I heard a loud crashing sound. That’s when I looked out my window and saw you two on the ground.”
Just then, several sets of flashing lights turned onto Lexi’s street as the emergency vehicles made their way to them. Two DPD patrol cars, an unmarked car, and an ambulance parked in front of where they stood.
The two paramedics—a younger man and a woman who appeared to be in her late forties—made their way to them first. “Police dispatched an ambulance. Is someone hurt?”
Before she could protest, Trevor pointed toward Lexi. “She needs to be checked out. A man attacked her and then tossed her through what used to be that window.” The young, male paramedic’s eyes grew wide when he saw what Trevor had been referring to.
“Trevor, I told you. I’m sore, but I’m...”
“This isn’t an argument you’re going to win, angel.” He looked down at her pointedly. “You either let them check you out here, or they’re taking you to the hospital. Your choice.”
Lexi’s brows turned slightly inward, and he could tell she didn’t care much for the directive. Trevor couldn’t bring himself to feel bad about it. He came damn close to losing her tonight. Hell, his hands were still shaking, though he was doing a good job at hiding it.
“I like him,” Mrs. Siemens smirked. Then, she leaned around the paramedic and whispered none-too-softly, “And he’s sure easy on the eyes. You did a good job picking this one, Alexis.”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Lexi looked up and gave him a tiny smile. “Yeah,” she whispered. “I did.”
Trevor let her hand go so she could walk over to the ambulance to be seen. He was thankful when Mrs. Siemens followed.
