Page 69 of Protecting Kelli
He wasn’t wrong. If the tables were turned and he found out something had happened to any of his teammates or their women, and he hadn’t been called, he’d be furious…and a little hurt. “Thank you,” Flash said a little belatedly.
“At the risk of sounding like Tex, don’t fucking thank me,” Dude complained.
Flash found himself smiling at that. Tex was notorious for being cranky when someone tried to thank him for anything. It was part of his charm.
“Right. Can you please help me up then?” Flash asked. He had no intention of letting go of Kelli anytime soon.
Dude nodded, taking Flash by the upper arms. He hauled him upright while he was holding Kelli as if he was picking up nothing heavier than a piece of paper. “Good?” he asked gruffly.
“Good.” He cradled Kelli in his arms and carried her through her bedroom. Dude walked in front of him and cleared a space on the couch. Flash sat with her on his lap. Throughout it all, Kelli didn’t protest, didn’t say much of anything, and it was worrying him.
“Kelli?” he promoted.
She finally lifted her head and met his gaze. “You came,” she repeated.
“I’ll always come if I’m able to,” he said. Flash wanted to tell her that he’d always come for her without question, but the truth was, there were times he’d be physically unable to be by her side. But she needed to know that even ifhecouldn’t be there, his friends would. Like Dude.
As if she could read his mind, Kelli looked over at Dude. “I appreciate you getting out of bed in the middle of the night and coming too.”
Dude nodded. “As if I’d ever say no.”
Then Kelli’s gaze shifted, and Flash knew the exact moment the destruction of her things sank in.
“We’ll get it all cleaned up,” he told her quickly.
She took in her apartment, her head swiveling from side to side. “I heard him out here, the crashes and stuff. I didn’t know exactly what he was doing.”
“How did you know he wouldn’t find you in that suitcase?” Dude asked, as the sound of sirens began to pierce the quiet night.
“I didn’t,” she said with a small shrug, looking up at him. “I was awake, reading, when I heard my door open. The hinges creak. I got out of bed and realized it was too late to get to the bathroom, or anywhere really. He’d see me as soon as I left the bedroom. I made my bed, hoping he’d think I wasn’t home, then went into the closet. I was going to hide behind the clothes. Thank goodness I didn’t, since he pulled down the rods. Then I saw my suitcase. I usually stow it in the closet in the hall, but I’d been too lazy this week to do that yet. I climbed in…almost couldn’t believe I fit…then zipped it as much as I could before he reached the bedroom and held my breath, hoping he wouldn’t think to look there.”
“And it was a guy? You heard him?” Flash asked.
“It was a guy,” she confirmed. “He swore a lot. And…” She paused, lifting her head to sniff the air. “I thought I smelled bacon. I guess he made it before he left?”
Flash was gobsmacked. He’d smelled it as well, but he just assumed it was the lingering scent from a late-night snack Kelli had made or something. “Why?Why would he do that?”
She shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Sorry, I wasn’t really asking you for an answer. Was just expressing my shock.”
“You need to be sure to tell the detectives. Maybe he left some fingerprints on the fridge or packaging.”
Kelli nodded, and Flash noted the look of shock settling on her face. She wasn’t hurt, but mentally, she was dealing with a lot coming at her in a short period of time. The break-in, the destruction of her things, the thought that whoever had broken in was still out there.
“After we talk to the cops, I’m taking you home.”
She looked up at him in confusion. “Home?”
“My home.”
The relief that flashed across her face was reinforcement that he’d made the right decision.
“Okay,” she said softly.
At that moment, two police officers appeared in the doorway, their weapons drawn and pointed at the three of them.
“Hands up!” one yelled.
