Defending Morgan (Mountain Mercenaries #3)(62)

But after her talk with Allye, she realized that everything the woman said was dead-on. Arrow wasn’t the kind of man to mess with anyone’s head. He wasn’t with her because he wanted sex. She was about the worst bet he could get, as far as that was concerned. He was with her because he liked her, and she’d be an idiot if she let him slip through her fingers.

The timing was a bit awkward, as she wasn’t sure she was completely ready for a boyfriend and all that having one entailed, but Arrow had promised to go slow with her . . . and she trusted him.

It was that bone-deep belief that he would never go any faster or further than she wanted, as well as her talk with Allye, that allowed her to let go of some of her fears when it came to Arrow.

“You ready to go home?” he asked.

“With you? Yes,” Morgan told him, not shying away from looking into his eyes as she said it.

“You are different,” he said quietly.

“Me and Allye had a good talk,” Morgan admitted.

“Remind me to thank her later.”

Morgan smiled at him.

“Hopefully this was a fluke,” Ro said as he threw the keys to the truck to Arrow, who caught them one-handed. “But keep your eyes peeled just in case. It wouldn’t be cool if someone was trying to get rid of you to get to Morgan.”

The words were said offhandedly, as if the other man didn’t really believe what he was saying, but they had an immediate impact on Morgan.

She stiffened and turned to stare at Ro with worried eyes.

“Ro . . . ,” Arrow warned belatedly.

“Bloody hell,” Ro said under his breath.

Morgan turned to Arrow. “Do you think that’s what happened? Is whoever wanted me gone here, in the Springs? Are they watching me? Will they try to kill you to get to me?”

“Shhhh,” Arrow soothed. “No, that’s not what we think happened today.”

“Then what? I mean, it’s not normal to have all four tires slashed. One, maybe, if someone was just having fun. But all four? That means you were targeted. How did they know where you’d be? Are they following you? Oh my God, maybe I should leave!”

“Morgan,” Arrow said sternly, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to still. “Look at me.”

She brought her eyes up to his and tried to slow down her breathing. The last thing she needed was to pass out in Ro’s garage because she was hyperventilating.

“I’m fine. Nothing’s going to happen to me. You’re safe. Hear me?”

She nodded, even though she wasn’t convinced.

“I don’t think anyone is after me. We’ve been keeping tabs on your ex and others back in Atlanta. They’re still there. No one has traveled up here to Colorado to try to get me.”

“They could’ve hired someone,” Morgan whispered.

“True. But as annoying as this was, they’re only tires. It was probably punk kids. We’re all going to be a bit more vigilant as a result, but no one thinks you’re in any danger. This is what we do. We come up with possible scenarios and either prove or disprove them. It’s how we work. Ro was merely throwing the possibility out there. Not stating it as a fact.”

“No one can get to your apartment, though, can they?” Morgan asked, staring up at him. “I mean, it’s safe, right?”

“Absolutely,” Arrow said. “I’ve got a doorman, and we’re on the third floor. There are cameras all over the building. In the lobby, stairwells, parking lot, elevator. You’re safe with me.”

Morgan knew she was freaking out, but she couldn’t help it. It had been a long time since she’d felt safe, and it was as if someone had pulled the rug out from under her once more. She didn’t want to be taken again, but she also didn’t want Arrow or any of his friends hurt while protecting her either.

Something else occurred to her. “What about my mom and dad? Are they safe? Should we tell them to be on the lookout?”

Arrow palmed her face and brought his forehead down to hers. “I’ll have Meat call them. But we have no reason to think anyone is in danger, beautiful. I swear to you that if we think that has changed, we’ll take care of your parents. Get bodyguards for them or something. You’re safe. We’re safe. Your family is safe.”

“Why is this happening?” she whispered.

“We don’t know that anything is happening,” Arrow said.

“But your tires were slashed,” she protested.

“They were. But that does not mean that whoever kidnapped you is going to try again. Take a deep breath.”

She did.

“And another. Good. Now look at me.”

Morgan pulled back just enough so she could meet Arrow’s gaze.

“Do you trust me?”

She nodded before she’d even thought about his question.

“Then trust that I’d never do anything that would put you or your loved ones in danger.”

“Okay.”

Arrow leaned down and kissed her before wrapping an arm around her waist. Ro had given them some space, but seeing they were ready to go, he came forward.

“I’m sorry, Morgan. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No,” she said firmly. “You should’ve. I’m not a helpless five-year-old like Nina. I need to know what’s going on. Don’t keep things from me. I need information if I’m going to protect myself. How would you feel if you knew I was a target again and didn’t tell me, and I went to the store one day by myself, thinking everything was fine, and I got taken again? You’d feel guilty, and I would be so pissed at all of you. So don’t ever not tell me what’s going on to try to protect me.”