Mine to Take (Mine #1)(12)

“Y-you agreed to find the man who is—who is—”

“Stalking you?” Trace finished. “Because that’s what he’s doing, Skye. He’s focused on you. He started by watching you, then by sneaking into your apartment. Tonight, he took things to the next level. He came for you. He touched you—”

Her breath rushed out.

“He’s dangerous. He hurt you tonight, and I won’t let him hurt you again.”

“I just want to rest.” To stop reliving the past and the pain and everything.

He took her hand in his. Lead her to the bathroom. “Take off your clothes. You’ll find an extra robe waiting inside.”

She hesitated.

“No seduction tonight, I give you my word.”

She went into the bathroom. A robe was waiting, all right. Silk. Beautiful, emerald green. Skye slipped out of her workout clothes and into the robe. She returned to him a few moments later, almost hating the feel of that silk against her skin. “I guess this got left behind by—”

“I arranged to have it brought here for you. Just like I’ve ordered my men to bring your clothes here. I want you to feel safe.”

He’d changed while she was in the bathroom. Ditched his clothes. Now Trace wore only a pair of black pajama pants that clung low on his hips.

Her gaze darted over him. Wide shoulders. Strong chest. Way more than a six pack.

Don’t go there, don’t!

Trace lifted his hand toward her. “Trust me, Skye.”

She did.

She put her fingers in his.

He led her to the bed. Eased her down on the mattress. Then he wrapped his body around hers. “I won’t let you sleep, but I will let you rest. Stop being afraid. Nothing can hurt you here.”

She wanted to believe that.

She wanted to, so badly. But there was something she hadn’t told him. She’d tried to tell the police in New York, tried to tell the doctors there, but no one had believed her.

“I’ll watch you through the night.”

Her heart stilled at those words. It wasn’t the first time he’d told her that.

The first night she’d met him, he’d told her the same thing.

After Parker had—

Shut it out.

She slammed the door before the past could hit her.

But she remembered Trace’s words.

That long ago night, she’d been so scared. And he’d said…

I’ll watch you through the night.

Skye didn’t close her eyes, but her breath came easier as Trace held her in his arms.

The illusion of safety was a lie. Deep inside, she knew it. Physically, she could trust him—he wouldn’t hurt her. But there were worse things in this world than just physical pain.

Much, much worse.

***

Alex Griffin tossed his coat over his chair and keyed up his computer.

Trace Weston. Having that guy in the picture changed f*ckin’ everything.

Trace Weston had plenty of money. Plenty of power.

And plenty of secrets.

The man had burst onto the security scene a few years ago, seemingly coming from nowhere.

His eyes were wrong. Whenever Trace had looked at Skye, the guy’s eyes had changed. There had been need in his stare, lust, anger…

Possession.

The fellow looked at Skye Sullivan as if the woman were his, when Skye had sure been singing a different story when he’d questioned her about any relationships she might have in the city.

“I heard about the attack on Ms. Sullivan,” his partner said as he came toward him. Joe Harris had been a cop for twenty years. He’d seen plenty of hell on the beat during those years. His grizzled face reflected his worry. “Shit, I was sure hoping things wouldn’t get that bad.”

Because their hands had been tied. The woman’s feelings— her gut instincts—those hadn’t been enough for them to go on. And whoever had been accessing her apartment had slipped in and out without leaving any trace behind.

Except for the small signs meant to torment Skye.

Alex stared up at Joe. Light glinted off the top of his partner’s shaved head. “She’s got security now. Weston Securities.”

Joe whistled. “How much is she paying for that set-up?”

The woman’s bank account was empty, so she couldn’t be paying anything.

So maybe I’ve checked a little deeper into Skye’s life than my partner realizes.

But…

When Skye Sullivan had talked to him, she’d been afraid. He hated to see fear in a woman’s eyes.

“I don’t think she is paying him,” Alex muttered as he leaned forward and went back to typing on his keyboard. “Seems she and Trace Weston are old friends.”

Bullshit. They were ex-lovers. He knew exactly what they’d been.

“I don’t trust him,” Alex said flatly. Skye had just looked so breakable at the hospital, while Trace had been too eager to get her out of there. And away from me.

“Be careful with him,” Joe warned him. “That’s not a man you want for an enemy. Hell, if he wanted, Weston could probably have your badge—and mine—with one phone call.”

Alex wasn’t scared of Trace Weston.

But he was determined to uncover his secrets.