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Kaden reached out to lightly touch her forehead, a surge of fury racing through him as he realized it was more than a scrape. Had someone hit her? The mere thought caused a red mist to cloud his brain.
“I feel a lump.”
She pulled away, looking oddly embarrassed. “A graze and a lump. I’ve had worse hitting my head when I’m stacking the shelves.”
“You should still see a doctor,” he insisted.
“Kaden. I’m fine.”
With an effort, Kaden forced himself to leash his need to insist on rushing her to the hospital. Lia wasn’t stupid. If she was seriously injured, she would seek out medical attention. Releasing the breath he’d been holding, he forced himself to turn his attention to how she was hurt.
“Tell me what happened.”
She paused, as if gathering her thoughts. Or maybe just finding the necessary words.
“I was working at my desk when I heard glass shattering in the alley,” she finally said.
Kaden glanced toward the window, making sure it wasn’t broken. Which meant it had to be something outside.
“I’m guessing you didn’t lock the door to the office and call 911?”
“I didn’t know what had happened.” She jutted out her chin, looking defensive. “It could have been someone throwing something into the dumpster. They do it all the time.”
He scowled, his gut twisting into knots at the thought that she’d put herself in danger.
“Lia,” he rasped.
She held up a slender hand. “I heard a noise and opened the back door. I didn’t leave the building.”
He closed his eyes, counting to ten. He was overreacting, but he didn’t know how to stop himself. If something happened to this woman, it would shatter something inside him. It didn’t make any sense. They were barely more than strangers.
But he knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Once he managed to regain his composure, he opened his eyes and gazed down at her troubled expression.
“Did you see anything?”
Her features tightened. “The back window of my SUV is busted.”
Kaden wasn’t surprised he hadn’t noticed. When he pulled into the alley, he’d been so focused on getting to Lia that an elephant could have been standing there.
“Do you know who did it?”
“No.” She lifted her hand to touch the wound. “I leaned forward to get a better look at my vehicle and I felt something hit my head. I jumped back and locked the door. Then I bolted the front door and sent you the text.”
Kaden stepped forward to wrap his arms around her, pulling her close. He needed to feel the warmth of her slender body. It was the only way to assure himself she was truly unharmed. Plus, there was a secret part of him that was smugly pleased at the knowledge that she’d reached out to him when she was in danger. It proved she trusted him.
Breathing deeply, he caught the hint of her shampoo. It was fresh, with a sharp tang of lemon. A scent far more enticing than the most expensive perfume. He swallowed a groan, his hands skimming down the curve of her back, pressing her even closer. She fit against him with sheer perfection. Two halves of one whole.
Cheesy. But true. There’d been a sense of destiny nestled in his heart since he first stepped into the store and caught sight of Lia Porter.
Savoring the much needed moment of peace, Kaden rested his cheek on the top of her head, smiling as Lia wrapped her arms around his waist. They both needed a second to gather their strength. And remind each other that not everything in the world was awful.
A minute passed, and then another, before Kaden reluctantly lowered his arms and stepped back. Someone had deliberately attacked Lia. This was no longer just an attempt to discover what had happened to Vanna. Now it was a quest to destroy whoever had dared to hurt Lia.
“I’m going to have a look around the alley. I’ll be right back.”
She nodded, thankfully not insisting on joining him. “I’ll be upstairs.”
