Page 35 of Grant’s Heat

“Fine. You can stay at my place. Do you want to stay local, around here? Or would you rather head back to Naples? Somewhere else? Hollywood Hills? Brentwood? What do you feel like?”

“Grant, I don’t care. Please.”

“Where is your car? I’m assuming you drove here?”

She thought about it for a moment and then looked at me, her eyes brimming with tears. “I don’t know,” she croaked, and her voice cracked with emotion. Rio cradled her face in her palms and started crying again, so I pulled her against my body and took out my cell phone. I was going to have to call in some backup.

Elijah picked up after the first ring. “Twombley. Shit, I was hoping it was you.”

“Yeah,” I replied. “I’ve got her. But listen, man. I need your help.”

“Say the word. Where are you?”

“At the Edge’s construction site.”

My friend heaved out a tense sigh. “That’s what I was afraid of. How can I help you, though?”

“She was going to burn the place down. I stopped her, but some cleanup needs to happen. Probably a little camera work too, if you know what I mean?”

“Yeah,” he muttered. “Yeah, I do.”

“Cool.”

There were security cameras all over this property. Every move Rio had made, from the moment she stepped onto the job site until the time we’d leave, was likely caught on tape. We would both be charged if the authorities saw the footage—unless Elijah covered our tracks.

“I’m all over it, my brother,” he assured me, before adding with his cockiest best, “and yes, you do owe me. Big-time.”

“Thanks, man. I think the mess is pretty close to where the accident happened. You won’t be able to miss it, though, because I had to discharge a fire extinguisher.”

“Oh, fucking joy,” he deadpanned.

“Thanks again. I’ll touch base with you later.”

I stabbed the End Call button and shoved my phone back into my pocket. Rio was watching with wide eyes when I turned to get her attention.

“What?” I asked.

“I’m so sorry, Grant,” she said quietly, not able to hold my gaze.

“For what?”

“That you’re in the middle of all this.”

I wanted to laugh. Long and hard. Couldn’t she see? Didn’t she know by now that I’d be in the middle, on the top, on the bottom, or anywhere in between if it meant being by her side?

The pledge was so strong in my heart and so hot in my blood, I almost went ahead and spoke it. But then I looked deep into her eyes again and felt every shred of the sorrow and loss that ached in her soul.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

I held out my arm to tuck her into my body. The night temperature had really dropped, and she shivered against me. I rubbed her shoulders, grateful for the chance to warm her in that small way. To protect her.

I’d always protect her.

Always.

Chapter Seven

Rio