“Not taking any chances with your safety.” He stood back and waved her forward. “Go pee, baby girl.”
“Um, aren’t you going to leave?”
“Nope.”
“Duke!”
“I’m not leaving, Sunny. I thought you were busting or do you need some help?”
“No, I don’t need any help! I’ve been toilet trained since I was two. But my bladder is shy. I can’t pee with you in here.”
“You’re gonna have to, because I’m not leaving you alone.” He folded his arms over his chest.
“Look, I get you were worried about me today. But nothing happened. It was just a fluke encounter. I’m not going to be attacked while peeing.”
“I’m going to start counting, Sunny and if you don’t get your butt into one of those stalls, I’m going to pull down your pants and sit you down myself.”
She scowled at him.
“One.”
With a mutter, she stomped her way into the furthest away stall.
“Just for your information, I think your habit of counting sucks.”
“So noted,” he said dryly.
She heard the sound of water and realized he’d turned on a tap. Whether to help her get over her embarrassment or to hurry her along, she didn’t know. But it did help. She quickly peed and got redressed. She gave him another glare as she washed her hands.
“You’re acting crazy. That guy is long gone. He was probably just high on drugs and looking for money or something. I’m perfectly safe peeing on my own.”
He drew her into him, holding her against his chest. “Until I can close my eyes and not think of all the ways I could have lost you today, until I can go five minutes without my heart racing with fear as I think about the fact that he could have stabbed you, that I could have lost you, you’re going to have to put up with a bit of overprotectiveness, okay?”
Her breath stuttered out. He really had been terrified. Couldn’t she put up with a bit of overprotectiveness to give him peace of mind?
There was only one answer.
“Okay.”
He let out a deep breath then lightly patted her ass. “Good girl. Come on, let’s get going. You need to get to bed.”
She’d slept for close to two hours on his couch so she wasn’t feeling all that tired but she just nodded. He led her out of the bathroom and they’d both just gotten into the truck again when his phone started ringing.
He swore under his breath. Then he answered the call. “What?” He listened to the other person, then swore again and looked over at her. “Fine. I’ll be there in fifteen. I’m bringing Sunny with me.”
Bringing her where?
“No, she didn’t see his face. Dressed all in black. Nothing distinguishing. Yeah, not a bad idea. I’d feel better with more security there. And at her house, can you arrange a security system and alarm? Great, thanks. Bye.”
“Where are we going? Who was that? Why are you getting a security system put into my house?” she asked as soon as the call ended.
“To Reaper’s. Ink. ‘Cause you’ll be safer.”
“I’m not unsafe, Duke. That guy was
n’t after me.”
“We don’t know what he was after. Maybe it wasn’t random. Maybe it was an attack on me and you got in the way.”