“I’m serious,” I clarified. “Thisis… this is normal for me. I’m an older brother. We’re protective.”
“I’m an older brother too,”Ashley said. “But I think I needed someone to protect me more than anyone everneeded my protection.”
“You’ve got me now,” I said,and maybe it came out a little more sincere than it should have.
Ashley was sweet. It was hardto imagine him being anythingbutsweet. “But I’m sorry. Everyone hasthe right to feel safe.”
Ashley looked down at thebunny in his arms, scratching behind its ears. “I feel safe right now,” hesaid. “With you.”
Something in my chest gave.Should that have feltgoodto hear?
It meant I was doing my job,but there was more to it than that.
The thought that Ashley feltsafe around me made my heart swell, a wave of tenderness washing over me.
That had never happenedbefore.
I couldn’t exactly text Grayto ask if he felt all warm and fuzzy when a client said they felt safe, couldI? That’d be weird.
“Youaresafe with me,” I said. “Notgonna let anything happen to you.”
Ashley’s tired smilemade my stomach flip over.
“I should return thisrabbit,” he said. “I’m sure Mrs. Seif will be happy to see him. She adopted himfrom a twelve-year-old who was moving out and couldn’t take him with her.”
That explained a lot.
“She sounds nice,” I said.
Another friend Ashley wasleaving behind.
Ashley nodded. “She is. Youthink it’s safe for me to cross the hall alone, or should I take you as backup?”
“What do youwant?” I asked. IfAshley needed space, I’d give it to him. If he needed company, he could havethat, too.
Anything to smooth out thestress lines etched into his forehead.Anything.
“I’ll scream if I need help,”Ashley said eventually, standing. “I won’t be long.”
I watched him walk away,cooing at the rabbit, and grabbed the shoebox to put it with my own things. I’d hold onto itin case the police ever needed it, but he didn’t need to carry this burdenanymore. It was the least I could do for him.
***
Tears sprung up in my eyesas my leg finally gave out on me, forcing me to collapse on the sofa with amuch louder thump than I’d wanted.
Ashley had been packingthings in his bedroom, but the sound was enough to draw him out.
Great.
I hadn’t refilled mybreakthrough pain prescription before I came here, and I was slowly realizingthat I’d left it on my kitchen counter instead of bringing it with me.
“Logan?” Ashley asked,hovering over me.
I knew what I must havelooked like. Red faced and gasping for air, as though I’d just run a marathon.
Transferred pain shot up myside as I shifted, making me gasp.
Dammit.
