“A few kitchen knives?” he asked.
“They’re cheap, and when you sharpen them, they’re all deadly,” she said.
He rolled his eyes and saw her smile.
Damn, he loved it when she smiled, especially when she let go, and just allowed herself to be happy.
Slowly. Take it all slowly.
“We heading to my old home?” she asked.
“Yes, down to the car we go.” He followed her out of the apartment, and he heard her stomach growling. “You want some food?”
“You heard that?”
“Babe, the whole block did.”
They entered the elevator together, and he saw her cheeks turn red.
“I’m hungry.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll feed you, and why are you so embarrassed? I’m the one afraid of bugs.”
“If you were in the middle of killing someone, and you were torturing them for information, what would you do if a bug came out, and started crawling all over you?”
In their reflections from the elevator doors, he saw she was enjoying this. He was so damn happy to see the smile that he was more than willing to play along. “I’d ignore it.”
“Really?”
No, he’d flick it off, and stamp on the damn thing while also hoping not to have shown his disgust to his victim.
“I guess you’ll never know.”
“I guess not.” She folded her arms and leaned back against the elevator. “I’m a little scared.”
“Why?” he asked, surprised she was confiding in him.
“It has been ten years, Oliver. Ten years since I was last in that house, and it’s scary. What if I freak out? I don’t know what to do.”
“You do. It’s not difficult, and you’re strong, Ruby. You’re the strongest woman I know.” Reaching out, he took hold of her hand. “I’ll be right by your side throughout it all. I promise.”
“You do.”
“Yeah.” Locking their fingers together, he tightened his hold on her. “You’ve got me, and I’m not going to let you face anything alone.”
The feelings she inspired inside him surprised the hell out of him. He’d seen his two brothers, and his dad and uncle with their women, but he never actually believed it was true. There was no way that kind of love would ever touch him. He didn’t think it was possible. He was the torturer in the family, and didn’t have a problem dealing with screaming men and women.
Anyone who posed a threat to his family, he was more than happy to take out.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Me, I’m fine. Never better.”
Just holding her hand helped to ground him.
“I really do appreciate all of your help.”
“You do?” he asked.