Page 11 of Let Me Protect You

Elias’s eyes stray to my hands where I have my phone still in a death grip. “Is everything okay?”

“Uhhh.” I look between Serenity and Elias. They both wear mirroring expressions of concern and edginess. Then I stick out my hand and say, “Here.”

Elias takes it and reads the words on the screen. His jaw clenches, and then he meets my eyes. “I need to show this to Sully.” His voice has a deadly tone to it I’ve never heard before.

“You don’t have to run right to him. Why don’t you rest so you can heal?”

“It was just a nick. I’m fine.”

“Serenity said you needed stitches.

He sighs. “I’ve had worse in this line of work. It’s why I stopped taking bodyguard jobs. And then Sully moved to New York right after.”

Last I knew, Sully also owned businesses in Granite Falls. I don’t get why he’d go to the city. “I guess I’m lucky he still had the same cell number. So, he moved to the city too?”

Elias nods. “This is his apartment. We’re just staying here until tomorrow. That way, we can rest, and you can get changed before people notice you.”

“Speaking of, are there any clothes I can wear that aren’t so … suffocating?”

Serenity stands and grabs a shopping bag off the floor. “I bought a few things for you while you were unconscious. I’d let you use my clothes, but I only brought enough for today so that we could travel lightly.”

My stomach twists. She spent more money on me when I was trying to help her financially. But I’ll never say that to her. “Thanks. I appreciate you thinking of me.”

“Well, actually, it was—”

Her words cut off when Elias says, “How about I go show Sully these messages so you can get changed?”

I nod. Serenity stands and takes Summer’s hand, leading Summer and Elias out of my room.

The moment the door closes behind them, I strip down to my shapewear and sink onto the bed again. Being free of that dress is exactly what I need after everything today. I fall backward so that I’m lying on my back. Letting my arms sprawl out to my sides, I let out a long overdue sigh.

Finally, I have some peace and quiet. And I’m safe. Or as safe as I can possibly be.

Five minutes later, I’m changed into the leggings and sweater that Serenity gave me. I wiggle my toes in the slipper socks she slid into the bag. I can almost forget about everything that happened. I inhale a deep breath and get a whiff of the perfume they drenched me in for the wedding ceremony. Well, I said almost.

A knock sounds, and I jump, scooting myself into a seated position. My heart hammers against my ribcage. Calm down, you’re safe. It’s probably just Elias or Serenity.

“Who is it?” I call out lamely.

“It’s me.”

Elias. What do I say to him after all this time? Can I still hold my grudge against him after he was injured protecting me?

“Come in,” I finally say. “I’m changed.”

The door creaks open, and Elias appears. My heart swoops as I take him in. He’s now dressed in a black sweater and jeans. His short, wavy hair is disheveled as if he forgot to fix it after pulling the shirt over his head. His dark eyes pull me in as he strides over and sits on the bed about a foot away from me.

“Sully questioned your alleged boyfriend.”

My jaw drops. I’m over here ogling a man I shouldn’t, and he gets right down to business. “How?”

“Why do you think I didn’t shoot him when I had ample opportunity? I knocked him unconscious to bring him to Sully.”

He says it so matter-of-factly that I almost think he’s joking. Before I left, Elias was a sweet guy who worked at a coffee shop with me. He’d pass me notes in Math class our entire senior year, saying something so outrageous, just to get a laugh out of me. Now, he’s a gun-slinging bodyguard who takes unconscious attackers to be questioned.

I don’t know him at all anymore.

“Did he give any information on who’s behind this?” Because in all honesty, that man looked more like a grunt than the brain.