Page 5 of Flawless

I set her on the bed and reached for my belt buckle when her phone rang on the nightstand.

“Ignore it,” she said, reaching for the hem of her tank top and hauling it over her head. She wasn’t wearing a bra and I was already salivating.

The phone rang again and I made the mistake of glancing at the screen. “Uh, Rylee. You better get that. It’s the hospital.”

She shot up before snagging her phone. “Hello. Yes, this is she.”

I took a step back to give her some privacy, hoping she could handle the news. For reasons I couldn’t explain, I was becoming way too invested in this girl’s feelings.

“Um, okay. Yes, I’ll be there as soon as I can. Thanks for calling.” She swiped to end the call and heaved a sigh as she threw her phone on the bed and fell back on the mattress. “I don’t believe this.” She covered her face with her hands.

I reached for the throw blanket at the end of the bed, covering her with it, because I may have shifted into cop mode, but I’d have to be a blind saint not to react to the sight of this woman half-naked.

“What is it?” I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed as I reached for her hand.

Her big blue eyes were brimming with tears and it hit me hard. “My mama had a heart attack.” She shook her head, sniffling. “She’s been incarcerated. I haven’t seen her for years.”

I closed my eyes, trying to find the words that never seemed to fail me when on duty. But this was different. I’d shed the badge along with my restraint when she kissed me and now, I had to fight to get it back.

“She was an addict. And she got mixed up in a drug ring, as a runner. It wasn’t her first offense, so she got twenty-five years.”

I couldn’t imagine baring my soul to someone I’d just met. She was brave as hell, and that made me respect her even more.

“How old were you when she went to prison?”

“Almost ten.”

“Did you stay with family or⁠—”

“No family.” She cleared her throat. “I went into foster care. Never stayed anywhere for more than a year.” Her harsh laugh was laced with a broken sob when she said, “No one seemed to want me to stick around any longer than that.”

“Ry…” I laid down beside her, pulling her into my arms. I just held her while she cried, knowing she probably needed the comfort more than she’d admit. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.” I kissed the top of her head, feeling a surge of protectiveness I’d never felt before.

In my line of work, I’d taken a vow to protect people. But this was different. It was personal. And felt visceral.

“I have to get to the hospital.” She sat up, swiping at the tears on her face. “I’m sorry our night was ruined.” She glanced at my chest and sighed. “Really sorry. A night with you was just what the doctor ordered.”

I smirked, but the amusement was laced with a heaviness because I could feel her inner turmoil. “Let me take you to the hospital.”

“No.” She shook her head firmly, causing her curls to bounce, before she reached for her tank top and tugged it over her head. “You’ve been through enough tonight. I can handle this on my own.” She shrugged. “I’ve been handling life on my own forever. I got this.”

“Hey.” I moved to the edge of the bed, opening my legs so she could stand between them, while I planted my hands on her hips. Looking up at her, feeling the squeeze on my heart, I said, “Let me go with you. I want to make sure you’re alright.”

She caressed the side of my face and whispered, “You’re a really good man. Your ex must have been crazy to cheat on you.”

I wasn’t thinking about my ex-girlfriend tonight. I was thinking about Rylee, and how different she was from any woman I’d met before. She was steel cloaked in satin. All hard edges hiding an inner sweetness she was afraid to reveal.

“You need someone tonight.” My look dared her to argue, but she didn’t. “And I want to be there for you.”

Her hands rested on my shoulders when she said, “I know you must have this rescuing-damsel-in-distress complex, given what you do for a living⁠—”

“This has nothing to do with my job.” I stood, tracing her jawline with the back of my fingers as I watched her eyes close. “This is just me wanting to be that shoulder you need tonight.” She could pretend she didn’t need anyone, but I heard beyond the words she was afraid to speak. I saw beyond the guarded look in her eyes to the haunting beneath.

She rolled forward on her tiptoes to kiss me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Why do you want to do this?”

Since she was a foot shorter than me, I picked her up around the waist so we were eye-level before I said, “Because you need someone tonight. And I want to be that guy.”

Rylee nodded, but I could still see her wrestling with her feelings when she said, “I want that too.”