Page 58 of Steel Vengeance
“I honestly don’t know,” he said. “Could be a while. These things take time.”
“Yeah.”
She couldn’t expect him to know. He was just as in the dark as she was.
“It feels so weird being stuck here, you know? In limbo. I never thought I’d be in this position. I’ve always had a stable job, a nice home.”
She’d made sure of that. After her dad’s death, her home had become her safe haven. And when she’d moved out of her grandmother’s house and got her own apartment, it had become her sanctuary.
“Right now, I feel like a fugitive.”
“You get used to it,” he said. “Living off the radar isn’t as hard as you’d think, especially if you’ve got some cash and a good disguise.” He nodded toward the veil on the table.
“I don’t have much money,” she admitted. “I brought a bit with me in case I couldn’t use my credit card, but it’s running out.”
“I’ve got it covered,” he said with a smile. “You’re fine while you’re with me. Don’t use your card or they’ll track you. You can bet they’ve already tried.”
His words warmed her.
She’d be okay as long as she was with him.
But what about when she wasn’t with him? And it wasn’t just about protection. She’d gotten used to having him around—his strong, reassuring presence at her side. She didn’t know what she’d do when he wasn’t there anymore.
CHAPTER 21
“You take the bed. I’ll be fine on the floor.”
They stood there, staring at the bed. It was late, and Sloane was beyond exhausted. Stitch could see it in the dark circles under her eyes and the pale look of her skin. She needed rest, and the bed definitely wasn’t big enough for the two of them—not without one of them ending up in the middle.
“Are you sure?” She glanced at him. “There’s plenty of space.”
“You must be delusional or seriously high on painkillers if you think we’re both fitting in that bed.”
She laughed. “Suit yourself.”
She pulled back the covers and got in. It was true, she didn’t take up much space, barely a third of the bed. “You really don’t have to sleep on the floor. I’m so drugged up, I’ll be out cold in five minutes.”
With that, she rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.
He knew he shouldn’t.
Ever since she came back from the bathroom in just her shirt, he’d been fighting his growing hard-on. He blamed those long, smooth legs that went on forever. And the way her nipples pressed against the fabric of her shirt.
Fuck.
It had been a relief when she finally slipped under the covers and pulled them up around herself.
Yeah, he was definitely sleeping on the floor. No way was he risking rolling into her during the night.
He adjusted the tightness in his pants, grabbed a pillow off the bed, then paused. Her breathing had already deepened. She was out. The painkillers, mixed with exhaustion, had knocked her right out. She lay on her good arm, her bandaged one folded next to her like a bird with a broken wing.
A wave of protectiveness surged through him. She looked so vulnerable, lying there with her eyes closed, her dark hair spilling over the pillow. He wanted to wrap her in his arms, hold her tight, and protect her from everything until this was all over.
Maybe even kiss the pain away.
He rubbed his forehead. Great, nowhewas fucking delirious.
There was no denying she was a beautiful woman, though. Any guy would struggle to pick the floor over her. Take Matthew, for example. The prick had probably taken one look at her and thought he’d score on that front too.