His to Protect: A Fireside Novel(12)

Whatever was happening with me needed to be shut down.

Immediately.

“Yeah,” she said, shaking her head as if she were clearing a haze. “Boomer probably needs to eat.”

“I bought him food this morning,” I told her as we headed out of the dining area and back to the kitchen. The lights were off over the grill, which told me Javier was long gone now.

“You did?”

The surprise in her voice made me turn to look at her. “Dog needed to eat, Trina. What’d you think I fed him?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Eggs?”

My lip curled as I bit back a laugh. “Not sure I want to be cleaning up egg vomit.”

“You’re probably right.” She walked up to me, and this time she reached for my hand. Her petite fingers curled around mine and she squeezed once before letting go. “Thank you. You’ve been really kind and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to repay you.”

I licked my lips, dropping my gaze to her plump and perfect ones. I could definitely think of a way she could make it up to me.

Asshole.

“Don’t mention it.” I turned around and walked to my office, where I made quick work of shutting down the computer, grabbing her purse, and turning out the lights. When I met her at the back door, uncertainty flickered in her eyes as she glanced away from me. Her cheeks were pinker than they should have been and I had to bite back a groan.

And I knew in that moment that the trouble of having Trina around just got a hell of a lot worse.

Because I wasn’t only attracted to this woman, physically…

I actually liked her. Wanted her.

She was quite possibly the worst thing I could want right now.

But I also recognized, as the corners of her lips turned into a soft smile and she looked at me as if I were the only one who could keep her safe, that while she might be wrong…

She was also right.

I didn’t want to just keep her safe from her asshole husband.

I wanted to make sure no one hurt this beautiful and kind woman ever again.





Chapter 7


Trina


I should have returned home from the Arizona Spa three days ago. If Kevin didn’t know I was gone before, he certainly knew now.

My stress levels were through the roof, and as each day went by, I found myself looking over my shoulder more often, becoming jumpier at every small sound.

I searched the Internet repeatedly to see if there was any mention of my name or his. I knew that if he suspected I’d left him, he would have kept it from the media, but the fact that he wasn’t in the media at all made me more nervous than not. It was only a year before the presidential election. Presidential hopefuls were campaigning, traveling the country and attending state fairs all over the Midwest. While candidates didn’t generally come to Kentucky’s state fair, we got a fair share of conservatives trying to push their agendas and slogans and basic political fodder down our throats at this time of year.

Kevin was usually swamped, attending press conferences and meetings, as well as rallies and dinners.

That I hadn’t seen him in photos from any of them concerned me.

It had also been three days since I started working and helping Declan at Fireside Grill. The work was often mind-numbing, but I found my body sore in that good, hardworking kind of way when we left the restaurant after closing up.

Sometimes I helped him with his computer system, and not only did I figure out his payroll system, I simplified the process and made it more user-friendly. I also spent time getting Declan caught up on all of his filing and accounting for the quarter.

I planned on tackling his filing system, because trying to slide receipts and invoices into his current systemwhich lacked any true organizationalmost caused more than one migraine.

Sometimes he called me out of his office and had me work a few tables. Sometimes I helped the bartender on busier nights, even though I could only help with bottles and drawing drafts. Other times, I worked at the hostess station. Emily was still out, spending time with her sister, who had not only delivered three weeks early, but had had a complicated delivery. Emily wanted to spend as much time with her sister and new niece as possible. Declan told her to take her time and be with her family, and that I would help him out in the meantime.

I didn’t truly believe he needed me at all, but the fact that he was giving me jobs where I could pocket cash was wonderful.

Surrounded by people who had no idea who I was, what my past was like, or what I was running from, I was beginning to relish living without constantly wondering if every move I made was being judged or criticized.

But at all times, in the back of my mind, was the niggling whisper warning me that I needed to leave soon. Unfortunately, every day I spent at Fireside, around Declan, not to mention his friendly staff and even friendlierand generouscustomers, I listened to that voice less and less.

It wasn’t possible for me to stay in Latham Hills forever.

It was probably the worst idea ever.

Yet I hadn’t been able to bring myself to leave, either.

“You going to be okay here, on your own?”

I was sitting on the couch and the question startled me. I jumped.

I twisted around to face the stairway Declan had just descended, and I watched as he twirled his key ring around his thumb. Next to me, Boomer’s head jolted up. He sniffed and then began panting before he leapt to his feet and trudged over to Declan.

Not only was I not excited about leaving anytime soon, I suspected Declan had been providing Boomer with a plethora of treats over the last few days. Every time he entered the room, Boomer was right there at his feet, sitting patiently in a way that was rare for him.

Perhaps leaving the stress of our home had been good for him, too.

I ignored the way this made my chest feel warm and tingly and nodded. “I’m just going to take Boomer for a walk and then chill out here. Get caught up on my television.”

At Declan’s insistence, I wasn’t going in to Fireside today. He demanded I put my feet up and rest. After years of having no one care about me or my needs, I decided to ignore the warm tingle that sent to my chest, too. Declan was becoming dangerous for me, for reasons antithetical to the reasons Kevin was.

My lips twitched as I watched Declan scowl. “I don’t like the idea of you out walking by yourself.”

“It’s not even dark out.” It was only three in the afternoon and night wouldn’t fall for hours. I would have thought that after being controlled for so long by Kevin, this over-protectiveness would bother me.

Yet, with his concern, that silly warmth suffused my blood and made it pump a little faster.

“You’ve got the phone numbers for Fireside, right? And my cell?”

“Yes.” I waved him away with a quiet laugh. “Go to work, Declan. We’ll be fine.”

His lips pressed together as we stared at each other, neither one willing to back down, before I finally saw the fight leave him.

“Fine.” His shoulders dropped and he reached for a North Face jacket. “But call me if you need anything. Or if something happens.”

“I will. Promise.”

I wouldn’t, but the small lie seemed to make him feel better. With a quick brush against the top of Boomer’s head and a command for him to take care of his mama, Declan gave me a quick wave goodbye and headed out the door.

Once he was gone, Boomer let out a sad, high-pitched whine.

“Come here, boy,” I said and slowly got to my feet. I’d been sitting on the couch reading a book for the last few hours and my legs were cramped from the position. “Let’s go for that walk.”

“Woof!” His tail thumped against the floor and he began jumping against the front door.

With another quiet laugh, I grabbed Boomer’s leash, slipped on my shoes, and headed out for a quiet walk in the brisk afternoon air.

It surprised me how fast fall hit in Michigan. In Kentucky, the weather stayed in the eighties through most of September, sometimes into October. But the temperatures had been in the low seventies, and last night I heard on the news that the leaves of the trees would be changing their colors soon. It seemed as if everything weather-related here happened a few weeks earlier than I was used to.

“C’mon, Boomer.” I tugged on his leash, getting him next to my right hip where he generally walked with ease, and we headed out. We walked for almost an hour, while I kept track of streets and turns so I could find my way back to Declan’s without any problems. The last thing I wanted to do was get lost. When we returned to Declan’s house, my limbs ached with the immediate aftereffects of a decent workout.

My shirt stuck to my back, slightly damp from sweat, and while I chugged a bottle of water, I watched Boomer lick his water up from his bowl as if his very life depended on it.

“Woof!”

I laughed softly. Drool dripped from his jowls, making me crinkle my nose. “Gross,” I muttered and patted him on the head. “I’m going to head up and take a bath. You take care of the house while I’m gone. Deal?”

“Woof!”



I was curled on the couch, in what had become my standard position, resting against the right armrest. Next to me was a plate of nachos I’d nuked in the microwave and a glass of red wine.

My body was slightly tender from the workout, yet relaxed from the combination of the long bubble bath and the wine I’d been sipping while I flipped through channels.