“Isla.” I turn at my name to find the man in the wheelchair holding out one of my muslin cloths. He’s got deep blue eyes that remind me of the ocean where we used to vacation as children. “You dropped this.”
“Thank you.” I take the cloth and he holds onto it alittle too long, so when I pull it out of his hands, he doesn’t drop it.
“You’re safe here.” His voice is gravelly, deeper than someone his age should sound. I guess he’s a few years older than me, but there are lines around his eyes like he’s been through more than a man in his twenties should. “I’ll personally make sure of that.”
His gaze is determined, and I’m reassured by his look. I’m reminded of his hard torso glistening with sweat that I glimpsed at the gym, and heat creeps up my neck.
“How did you know my name?” We weren’t introduced at the gym, and he hasn’t spoken to me all evening.
He smiles, and in that smile I see the shadow of a carefree boy, perhaps the young man he used to be before whatever horrendous thing happened to his limbs. “I made it my job to know. If I’m providing protection for you and Cody, I had to know your names.”
He glances at Cody, and his expression softens. “If there’s anything you need, anything at all, let me know.”
Protection. The word warms my chest. I’ve spent the last few months with a growing sense of uneasiness. And for the first time in as long as I can remember, I feel truly safe.
“Thank you.”
He drops his hold on the muslin cloth, and I tuck it into my arms under Cody.
“Goodnight,” he whispers as I turn away.
3
LUKE
The sound of a door unlatching has me jerking awake. It’s still dark outside, and the chill pre-dawn air chases away any last vestiges of sleep.
The door to Isla’s room pushes open, and Isla steps into the corridor. She carries Cody wrapped in a sling around her chest, and a large coat covers the both of them. A woolen beanie is pulled over her hair, leaving the ends sticking out at all angles. She looks fucking adorable.
Isla stops when she sees me, and her mouth drops open in surprise. She takes in my wheelchair and the blanket that’s fallen from around my shoulders. Her eyes narrow in suspicion. “Did you sleep out here?”
When I said I’d provide protection, I wasn’t joking. I may be in a wheelchair, but I’m still a military man at my core. A woman needs protection, and I’ll do whatever I can to provide that.
“I said I’d keep you safe.”
She blinks quickly and looks away, and I hope she doesn’t think sleeping outside her door is creepy. That’s the last thing I want.
I put on my best smile, and it turns into a yawn. “Is it even morning yet?”
I run a hand over my face, and it catches on stubble. I’m stiff from spending the night in my chair and I need a shower, but it’s worth it to be here to see Isla and Cody.
“It’s almost six-thirty, but he’s been up since five.”
The dark smudges under her eyes are even more pronounced since yesterday. “I’m taking him for a walk. It usually helps settle him.”
There’s no way I’m letting Isla wander around on her own when it’s still dark outside.
“I’ll join you.”
She looks at me in surprise but doesn’t protest as I follow her down the hall. I stop at the elevator, and she continues down the stairs. “I’ll see you down there.”
It’s an agonizing wait for the elevator, and I hope like hell she doesn’t try to leave without me. It’s a relief when I reach the ground floor and Isla’s waiting for me.
“You don’t have to do this. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do with your day than babysit.”
Her brow creases in a little frown, like she’s trying to figure out why I’m here. It saddens me that she’s suspicious of a guy wanting to help out.
“You’re doing the babysitting. I’m just making sure you’re okay.”
