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“Yo, Shane!” he called out.

The prospect lifted his head and scanned the room, when his gaze landed on Cypher, he jerked his head for the prospect to join them.

“You still have my keys?”

“Yeah.” He dug in his pocket. “Sorry, I was going to give them back as soon as we arrived, but I didn’t see you.”

Cypher shook his head. “Keep them a sec. Will you go out and look in the right-side bag, you’ll need the key to get into it. Grab Lauren’s bag and bring it and the keys back.”

“No problem.” The kid spun to go do as instructed.

“Don’t forget to re-lock it!” Cypher called after him. He wasn’t worried about anything being stolen from his bags here, but he didn’t check them unless he was getting into them and he didn’t want to forget the next time he took the bike out.

“After he comes back, I’ll take you up to bed any time you’re ready. Just say the word.” She had to be tired, but he could also see how she might be reluctant to sleep. He wondered if she would have nightmares about this and how she might react, with all her training and experience. She’d been treating Lacey for the trauma of having gone through something similar, though thankfully less violent. He couldn’t imagine how Joker would have reacted if arrived on the boat to rescue the girl and had found a similar scene to what Cypher had.

Lauren yawned, covering her mouth with one hand, then tilted her head to rest against Cypher’s chest and closed her eyes.

“Soon. I need a little while longer though. And I want to shower.”

“I can help you with that.”

Jenna rolled her eyes. “One track mind.”

“While I like the way you think most of the time,” Cypher said. “That wasn’t what I meant. I literally meant to help, to make sure she doesn’t fall. I’m not crass enough to make a move on someone so injured they need rest more than anything else. Well, maybe food. But we have that covered.” He nodded to the second empty bowl. “You want more or you good on the food?”

“Want? Hell yes. It tastes so good. But I think if I eat another bite, I’ll explode.” She rubbed her belly.

He wasn’t sure if she was thinking about eating more or if she was trying to sooth the ache of how much she’d already eaten.

“Now I’m almost ready to shower then fall into bed.” She opened one eye and looked up at him. “Please tell me that shrine to caffeine consumption you call a nightstand has water.”

He smirked.

“It does now.” He’d stocked several bottles of water after the first time she’d stayed over and asked for some in the middle of the night. And he’d made sure there were several bottles there all the time, in case they’d stayed here. They had, and she’d had water, but she probably didn’t realize that he’d made it a permanent change.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Cypher helped her shower, washing her hair for her and helping her make sure they’d removed all the blood and every other trace of the day that they could. She would just have to wait for the bruises to fade, and the aches to pass.

She felt numb as she let him towel her dry and tuck her between the sheets. She didn’t know if she could sleep but she was too tired to do anything else.

“You need anything, sweetheart?” he asked as she curled into his side. “I can turn on some music or the TV if you need something to focus on until you can sleep.”

“The TV would be nice.”

“What service is that show of yours on?” he asked as he reached over and picked up the remote.

“Which show?”

“The one with the chicks, where everyone talks all the time.”

Blinked and resisted the urge to lift her head and frown at him. Then it hit her. “Are you talking about Gilmore Girls?”

“Maybe. The mom and the daughter? The guy at the coffee shop who doesn’t let her glut herself on coffee?”

“Yeah, that’s it. It’s on Netflix.” She thought he’d hated it. and maybe he had, but he would turn it on to make her feel better. She’d already realized she was falling for him, but that only tilted things even more in his favor. If he kept being so sweet, she might snag him before anyone else did.

That reminded her of the news Bones had given them earlier. Her mouth went dry as she knew she’d have to talk to Cypher about it soon. And sooner would be better than later.