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I’m almost shaking with my shock—and something that’s thrilling with pleasure. But what Trey is saying is too close to what I want to hear, so I can’t really believe it.
“I don’t think…” I pause. Reshape my sentence. “He was just doing his job and keeping everyone on task. No one should be making moves on clients. He never thought about me like that.”
Trey snorts again. “He sure as hell did. You think I imagined all the icy glares I got whenever I happened to glance your way?”
“He might have been kind of protective, but that was his job. It wasn’t because…”
“For Christ’s sake, girl, get a clue. He was totally into you. Any fool could see it.”
My heart is jumping with excitement again. “But he never… He never…”
“What, you think because he never made a move that he didn’t want to? You were what, like twenty? Your family would have fired any guy who tried to touch you, and no one pays as well or treats us better than the Worthings. Who would risk losing this gig? Plus Morrison always plays by the rules. You were totally forbidden territory. You think he would have ever crossed that line?”
I’m staring at him, almost bewildered with a tumult of emotion.
“Why do you look so gobsmacked?” Trey asks, frowning at me. “This can’t be a surprise to you. The guy is full-shit crazy about you, and he always has been. You should have heard the endless lecture he gave me in the hospital last night about how you’re my responsibility right now and what he’ll do to me if something happens to you.”
“What did he say?”
“Everything. All the obvious stuff that any fool would know about keeping you safe. And then he tells me I’m not supposed to touch you. Like I’d really think about trying something on you right now when you’re all scared and in danger. For fuck’s sake.” Despite his words, he looks like he’s silently laughing again. “Morrison’s always had a few screws loose about you.”
I have no idea what to say to that, so I end up saying nothing.
My mind is whirling though. I assumed Caleb hated me back then and had no interest in ever seeing me again once I stopped being his job to protect. And that it’s only recently he’s started looking at me in a new way.
Have I had it wrong about Caleb all this time?
All I have are Trey’s casual comments, but he seems so sure about the situation and Caleb’s feelings.
And I’m not sure of anything at all. Not anymore.
“So anyway,” Trey concludes, picking up his phone again and starting to leave the kitchen, “don’t take it personally that I’ve never talked to you much before. I’m not about to risk Morrison’s wrath if I even look at you a little too long.”
I make a strangled sound that might be a laugh.
Then I remember Caleb got shot yesterday and Montaigne is still out there.
There’s no sense in focusing too much on all this while both of us are still in danger.
If Caleb gets killed, nothing else will matter at all.
* * *
Caleb appears to improve as the afternoon progresses and his mood also improves, so a lot of my anxiety eases as a result.
I’m still scared of the idea of Montaigne still out there—finally making violent moves. But all the extra security the Worthings employ are searching for him. They’ll find him, and after shooting Caleb, he’ll go to prison for a really long time.
If Caleb is okay, everything else will be okay too. I’m sure of it.
Trey and the other guy stay on the whole day, checking the perimeter and watching for any threats. I make a light dinner, and Caleb manages to eat more than I expect. He isn’t as pale as he was yesterday, and he isn’t sweating all the time either.
I feel icky after a long day of doing nothing, so I take a shower before bed and then change into pajamas. I go to the kitchen to grab us both bottles of water.
“Thanks.” He takes the bottle I offer him. “You smell nice.”
“Soap from the shower, I guess.”
“I wish I could take a shower.”
