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I laughed.
“We can live at the clubhouse until we find a place of our own.” He leaned back, crouching until we were at eye level. “It’s safe, so I’d like to stay there until we can figure out if someone is in fact stalking you or not.”
A sour taste filled my mouth. I pulled away from him and went to the closet. Grabbing a large bag, I started pulling items off the hangers and shoving them into the bag. A warm body came up behind me, forcing a sigh from my mouth. “I don’t know why all of a sudden they’re stalking me, whoever it is. I don’t know if the bastards who ended up in jail after the raid, are now free instead of being locked up for life like they should have been.”
“I can do some digging.” He cupped my shoulders, spinning me around. “I should have dug a while ago, but you asked me not to, so I didn’t. But now...”
“You’ll dig whether I ask you to or not,” I finished for him.
Cyrus nodded.
I sighed, pulled away from him, and finished packing my bag. “I don’t have a lot here. I’ll talk to Jay when I go to work next Monday and see if anyone there wants to rent this apartment.”
“This building is owned by the center?” Cyrus asked, helping me pull clothes from my dresser.
“Yeah, it’s funded by the government but those who live here are from the center. If they aren’t, it’s for other victims. Like domestic violence victims. It’s safe but now...” My thoughts went back to when someone knocked on my door earlier. I tried wracking my brain if there had been someone out of the ordinary I had seen in the building but I couldn’t think of anyone.
“Let me contact a friend. He can find out who was released from jail, and he can find out who has come and gone from here.”
I paused, meeting Cyrus’s eyes in the reflection of the mirror. “That information is confidential.”
He grunted. “You don’t know my friend.”
“I just don’t want you going after them but I’m fine with you finding out whatever information you can.” I could tell Cyrus how scary the people who had taken me were, but I wasn’t sure if he would accept it. He knew why I was scared of them but when it came to him, I knew that he would do anything to avenge me.
“I won’t go after them,” Cyrus said but I felt like there was more to his promise than he let on.
We finished packing up my clothes and some of my personal items. I would have to make another trip or two, but this would work for now.
When we were leaving my apartment, I gave the space one final look before stepping out into the hall with him.
“You good?”
I nodded. “I need a fresh start.”
“I get that.” Pulling the strap of my bag up higher on his shoulder, he hooked his other arm around me, leading me down the hall.
Once we were leaving the building, I breathed in a scent of fresh air. It was still early in the morning or late at night, depending on how you looked at it. But it smelled like peace and serenity. Things I had never felt before whenever I left this place.
“I got you, babe,” Cyrus murmured, kissing the top of my head.
I snuggled into his side as we walked toward his SUV. When we neared the large vehicle, someone came toward us and bumped into me. A sharp pain erupted through my shoulder and side, the impact almost knocking me off my feet.
“Hey,” Cyrus snapped, pulling me against him.
“It’s okay,” I reassured him. “I’m fine.” I looked behind me, finding the person walking into the building. They stopped, glancing at me over their shoulder. My stomach flipped, a sense of dread washing over me.
“Asshole,” Cyrus murmured, leading me to his vehicle.
As we neared the large black beast of an SUV, I became light-headed. The pain from being bumped into was more pronounced as time went on.
Cyrus opened the passenger door, waiting for me to enter the vehicle.
“I don’t...” I wavered on my feet, spots dancing in my vision. “I suddenly don’t feel well.”
He came toward me, cupping my face. His eyes roamed over me, widening when they landed on a spot at my abdomen. “You’re bleeding.”
“What?” I looked down at myself. A red liquid was soaking through my white sweater. I lifted the fabric along with my tank top and saw blood profusely leaving a gaping wound in my side.
