Page 40 of Beautiful Killer

Sunny

My smile faltered at the look on Zeke’s face. He looked like he’d been stuck on a boat in a storm and hadn’t found his sea-legs. The man looked green around the gills. Did he regret last night? Was that it? Zeke had ended things between us. He’d stayed away from me for two months. Then I’d gone and shown up at his work, invaded his life. Granted I had no idea he worked there—still, it wasn’t like he could avoid me anymore.

He knew I had nowhere else to go. Is that why he’d offered me a bed? Had the sex been a way of getting me here? Had he felt obliged to sleep with me? My belly squirmed uncomfortably. Was all this his way of protecting me? Because that’s the kind of guy he was, a protector, down to his bones.

My phone beeped in my purse and I jolted. I grabbed for it, still on the counter where I’d left it last night.

Julia.

She’d been texting more often, not asking for anything, just taking an interest in my life. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I was quietly optimistic. Maybe that was dumb, trusting her again, but I couldn’t help it. I fired back a reply, telling her I was at a friend’s. I glanced up and Zeke was still watching me. Is that what he was? A friend? I had no idea what we were, what the hell we were doing. It made me feel off balance. I didn’t like the feeling. I liked safe, stable. I’d had enough of feeling like I was walking a tightrope in my life. When I was a kid, and again when my relationship with Richard fell apart. I’d been working very hard the last few years at never feeling that way again.

Then I met Zeke.

Intense, aloof, and sexy as all hell. He made me feel like I was free falling without a safety net.

I turned away quickly, unable to look at him any longer, and busied myself dishing up the bacon and eggs I’d made. “I hope you’re hungry?” I said and placed both plates on the breakfast bar.

He’d moved closer and I hadn’t even heard him. “You don’t need to cook for me,” he said and slid onto the stool opposite me.

He was shirtless, all those hard muscles on full display. “It’s my way of thanking you,” I said.

His gaze flew up from his plate. “Thanking me?”

“For looking out for me,” I quickly added.

He didn’t comment, looked back down, and started eating.

“Can I go home today?” I needed to get back to my life, on my own, where I had a chance of dodging the emotional wreaking ball that was this close to being let loose on me. I thought I’d get over it, not having Zeke anymore, until last night, until he came for me. Now I wasn’t so sure it would be that easy.

He finished his mouthful. “That’s not a good idea. Not until I know more.” His gaze flicked to my purse. “Who texted you? Cage?”

What? I frowned. “No. It was Julia, my stepsister.”

He made a grunting sound and carried on eating.

Right, this wasn’t confusing at all. “Maybe I could ask her to come stay with me? I can’t stay with her. I don’t get on very well with her husband, and there isn’t really any room for me there. But she’s been great since the burglary. I think she would if I asked.”

His eyes lifted and locked on me as he lowered his knife and fork. “Can she use a gun?”

Not a question I was expecting. “Well, I’m not sure . . .”

“Has she had any self-defense or close combat training? Have you?”

“No . . .”

His jaw hardened. “I don’t think she’ll be much help against this guy if he decides to come after you again, do you?”

I hugged myself. “You really think he wants to hurt me?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.” His gaze slid to my cheek, my mouth. “If it was him I saw outside your place, he may have already.”

Oh God.

I gripped the edge of the counter, suddenly feeling dizzy. The idea that the burglary hadn’t been some random act was terrifying, but it wasn’t just my physical safety I was worried about. Emotionally, I was in just as much danger, only from the man who was trying to protect me. “I could stay at a hotel.”

He shook his head again.

“You don’t owe me anything, Zeke,” I rushed out, sounding as desperate as I felt.