“I’m fine,” he said,slipping through the door as I held it open for him and heading for the stairs.
He was alotlessdrunk than he was pretending to be. I’d watched him, and I knew he’d only hadthree drinks and the last one had been an hour ago now.
Ashley needed a hug that hewasn’tcomfortable asking for, and I wasn’t sure how to offer it. I’d never had toprotect someone who looked atmeand saw a person before. He was different.
I wanted him to be happy. Ialways wanted my clients to besafe, but I’d spent all night watchingAshley and thinking he didn’t deserve this, he should have been able to behappy.
Saying goodbye to all hisfriends over something someone else was doing was a cruel fate.
“Trying to get the best viewof my butt?” he asked as he skipped passed me, bounding up the stairs with allthe grace and ease his long limbs implied he was capable of.
“Seen it,” I shrugged,following him up. “Hard to forget.”
Ashley laughed as he got tothe landing his apartment was on, pausing to let me catch up.
My leg was starting to hurt,but I didn’twant to complain about it. I’d be fine. My last dose of painkillers had beendue an hour ago, but I hadn’t wanted to take them in public. I hadn’t evenbrought them with metotake them.
Stupid, maybe, but Ashleydidn’tneed to see me weak. He needed to believe I was strong. Strong enough toprotect him from any threat.
And Iwas. But I knewwhat people thought when they saw me taking a handful of pills.
Ashley’s laughter rangout in the hall. “I’d say I don’t show it to just anyone…”
“But you do,” I said.
He shrugged. “I’m a slut.”
“I know,” I said. “You’reallowed. Not like I haven’t done my share of sleeping around.”
A prickle of danger rolleddown my neck as Ashley reached for the door handle. I wasn’t used to takingcare of people who hadreal,specific threats out against them, buttraining still told me to go through the door first.
I reached out, putting myhand over his to stop him opening it.
“I’ll go in first,” I said,stomach dropping at the sudden look of horror on his face.
Scaring him a little wasbetter than getting him killed, but I wished I could avoidboth.
“Just to be safe. The doorwas still locked, don’t worry.”
I turned the handle andpushed the door open, shielding Ashley with my body as I stepped inside.
Silence.
Good. I hadn’t expecteddifferent, not really, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
The door swung closed asAshley followed me inside, latch clicking to confirm it was locked again.
“Sorry for scaring you,” Isaid, turning to him. “I’d just… rather you were scared than dead.”
“That might be the sweetestthing anyone’s ever said to me.” Ashley grinned, stepping further into theliving room.
My eyes widened as his gracesuddenly failed him, his whole body tipping forward as his foot caught on theedge of the area rug. He cried out in surprise, loud enough to wake half thebuilding.
I grabbed him withoutthinking, steadying him up before he could fall, a hand on each shoulder.
Up close, I could see flecksof gold in his eyes, a ring of it around the dark pupil.
He stared at me for a fewmoments, and if his heart was beating anything like as fast as mine was, I didn’t blame him.
