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His touch was soft, but unexpected. She flinchedaway.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frightenyou."
She was barely holding it together. "Please. Let my guard... my friend... I needhim."
"Okay, but please go sit back down. We wouldn't want you to faint again. I'll go gethim."
She let herself be led back to the couch, but didn't sit. She fumbled with the belt of her robe nervouslyinstead.
By the time Trevor was finally headed in her direction, she was ready to crawl out of her skin. She saw the fear in his own eyes as he scanned her, trying to assess the damage to his client and friend. But he wouldn't be able to see the damage done to her. It was internal... hitting her at hercore.
Her guard and friend didn't stop as he approached. Trevor scooped her up into his arms and hugged her to him so hard it hurt. Any scrap of bravery she still clung to fled as soon as she was cocooned in his arms. She was safeagain.
Trevor took a seat on the same couch she'd vacated, pulling her down into his lap. Muscled arms enveloped her while she cried on hisshoulder.
"What the hell happened? I got a call from your doorman while I was at the hotel that there was a problem and to get over here fast." He paused, clearing his throat. "I'm afraid to ask why you're in the lobby in your bathrobe hanging out with a whole squad of police officers. And why is there an ambulance outfront?"
When she couldn't stop the tears to answer, he added, "Shhh. Everything's going to be okay." She wanted to scream at him that he couldn't possibly make that promise to her, but the growing lump in her throat choked down the words. "Why not start at the beginning. What happened after Ileft?"
When she could speak, she took a deep breath and relayed the events he'd missed since leaving only an hour before. She was finishing describing the hundreds of photos in her bathroom when the captain rejoined them after exiting theelevator.
"How are you feeling, Miss Monroe?" heinquired.
"As well as could be expected, I guess," she answeredtruthfully.
"Good. Is this yourboyfriend?"
"Oh, no," she quickly asserted. "This is my personal bodyguard,Trevor."
The older cop's eyes flashed. "I have a lot of questions for you, youngman."
"Excuse me?" Trevor threw backdefensively.
She felt Trevor begin to vibrate beneathher.
"What was Miss Monroe doing alone andunprotected?"
Trevor shot to his feet, cradling her in his arms while he handed it right back. "What the hell? She was in her own damn condo. I escorted her in. Made sure she locked the door behind me when Ileft."
"And exactly when was that?" The captain's questions continued,unfazed.
"About an hour ago, I guess." Trevor didn't wait to be asked the question Khloe knew would be coming next. "I dropped her at home and then went back to The Plaza. There was an after party in Khloe'ssuite."
This time, the captain directed his question at her. "So you're hosting a party you didn't evenattend?"
She didn't appreciate his aggressive tone. He made her feel like she was the 'perp' instead of the 'victim'. It was awkward being interrogated while being cradled in Trevor's arms. She wiggled away from him enough that he lowered her legs to the floor, yet she was relieved he kept his arm around her as she answered the captain's question impatiently. "I wasn't hosting anything, clearly. I was tired and wanted to comehome."
"Where were you before returning home an hourago?"
Trevor answered the latest question. "Tonight was the red-carpet pre-opening party for Ms. Monroe's newest movie release. We were at The Plaza doing interviews and prepping for the release all day today. We were at The Lincoln Theater from about six to eleven tonight. The people who wanted to keep partying went back to The Plaza and I brought Khloehome."
A fresh commotion near the revolving door to the building drew their attention. Just in time, Trevor pushed Khloe behind him as he jumped in front her, standing between his client and the flashing cameras on the sidewalk outside thebuilding.
How the hell had the media found out about this so quickly? It didn't make sense. Hell, nothing was makingsense.
She'd never felt as trapped as she did in that moment. The thought of having her photo splashed across the front of the gossip rags or trending on Twitter made her empty tummy churn. Disheveled, barefoot in a bathrobe. It would be adisaster.
The exit from the building wasblocked.
