Logan (Wild Boys After Dark, #1)(8)
She was on borrowed time until the lion would be released to stalk his prey.
Stella went into the back office and grabbed her purse. Dylan turned away from his desk with an irritated look in his dark eyes. He’d been pissed when she’d returned to work, but he’d finally given in and allowed her to finish her shift.
“Stella, do you want a ride home, or is Logan still out there?”
“He’s out there.”
She lived only a few blocks away, and she was used to walking home with heightened senses, listening for footsteps following too closely, her eyes darting to the alleys as she passed. She hated always being on alert, too, but even though Kutcher was locked up, he’d left a trail of awareness that she couldn’t shake. Because of the attack tonight, she was dreading the walk home even more than usual. No matter how many times she played tough, inside she was still that girl from Connecticut who wanted to live a safe, comfortable life. Only now she wanted to live it with that darker side he’d exposed, the side that loved raw sex and visceral, animalistic passion. It scared her as much as it excited her. She knew she couldn’t have both. She’d seen the dark side—and it was too dark. But part of her knew that she was no longer the white-fence type of girl. She was stuck in some middle ground she knew nothing about, and it pissed her off just thinking about it.
Fucking Kutcher.
She shouldered her purse and reached for the door, hesitating momentarily under Dylan’s steady gaze. Dylan was the only person in her new life who knew about Kutcher and what she’d gone through. They’d become friends over the past few weeks. He’d been curious when she’d asked to be paid in cash, and at first he’d flatly turned her down, but before she left the bar that night, he’d given in to her plight of being new in town and needing the cash in order to keep her apartment. It was a lie. She’d had cash saved from when she’d moved, and she had somewhere in the neighborhood of seven thousand, eighty-six dollars left. But she needed the job. Seven thousand dollars didn’t go far in New York City.
“That guy Logan? How well do you know him?”
Dylan leaned back in his chair. “If you’re asking me if he’s like your ex, he’s not. He’s been through hell and back. He’s a good man. You can trust him.”
She nodded, feeling slightly more at ease.
The bar closed at two, and there were still throngs of customers milling about. The confidence she wore like a shield while she was behind the safety of the bar thinned as she made her way to the front. Blue Eyes was on his feet and at her side in seconds, one arm on her lower back, eyes darting protectively around them.
“What are you doing?” She kept her eyes trained on the door.
“Making sure you get home okay.”
When he pushed the door open, she walked through and kept on going. What was he doing? Stalking her? He fell in step beside her, returning his hand to her lower back. She craved it and feared it at once. She couldn’t afford to be stupid, like she’d been when she went to the ladies’ room. She should have screamed, kneed that guy in the balls, done something other than panic and flail her useless hands at him.
She stopped and extricated herself from Logan.
“I’m supposed to just let you follow me home?” She crossed her arms, affecting a barrier between them. His eyes warmed and the edge of his lips quirked up in a half smile. He was too damn handsome for his own good. She bet that looks alone got him into bed with many women.
She might be next on that list.
Stop it!
“I’d drive you home, but you made it clear that you’re not getting in the car with a stranger. I thought about calling you a cab, but I have the feeling you’re not the type of woman to take handouts, and given that you finished your shift because you needed the paycheck, I doubt you want to spend money on cab fare.” He shrugged. “I’m a private investigator, not a rapist. That guy who attacked you is still out there, and I want to make sure you get home safely.”
She’d been so overwrought with trying to move past what had happened, then getting caught up with Kutcher being released from jail, that she hadn’t thought about what might happen next with the * who’d attacked her. No wonder Logan’s eyes were darting all over. Pride wouldn’t let her accept his offer. She wasn’t a damsel in distress, and she didn’t want to come across as one. Not even to the handsome PI who wanted to protect her. It was probably a game to him anyway. I am man, big protector; now f*ck me good.
The thought made her smile, because she’d like to do just that.
She spun on her heels and walked away without a word, knowing damn well he’d follow. Which also made her smile, although she gritted her teeth to keep from revealing it.
The long city blocks were never really dark, though they were eerily dim. Even the back streets seemed to be illuminated by the energy of the city. The trees were in full bloom, and for a moment Stella allowed herself to pretend she was back in Mystic, walking to her apartment along the pretty streets, without fear, without a sexy bodyguard whose presence felt much bigger when it was just the two of them in the night. She reveled in the memories of walking along the harbor and wanted desperately to one day be able to return to her hometown and feel safe again. She didn’t know if she ever wanted to live there again, but being able to see her mother without looking over her shoulder would be a gift from the heavens above. She couldn’t imagine ever having that again.