Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Miguel

At three o’clock in the morning, all hell breaks loose. We’re awakened by the blaring sound of a car alarm going off in the parking lot outside Ruby’s bedroom window. Ruby sits up. I sigh as I swing my feet to the floor.

I walk over to the window and peer outside. “Shit. That’s my car.”

A couple of angry shouts from our neighbors adds to the din.

Ruby follows me to the living room and watches as I slip on my sneakers and a T-shirt, strap on my chest holster, and grab my key fob.

“You’re not going out there, are you?” she asks. “Can’t you turn the alarm off remotely?”

“Yeah, but I need to check on my car. Don’t worry, I won’t be gone long. Come lock the door behind me.”

Ruby follows me to the door and lets me out.

I race down the stairs and to the back door and step out into the chilly night air. Sure enough, my headlights are flashing, and my car siren is shrieking. Something in my gut tells me this isn’t a random event. I just hope they didn’t break my windows.

“Shut that damn thing off!” a man yells out a ground floor apartment window.

I wave at him. “Sorry! I’m on it.” I turn off the alarm, give my car a once over, and relock it. I don’t see any damage. I think someone just bumped it.

Now that my headlights are off, I realize how dark it is back here. I glance up and notice none of the streetlights are working. It looks like someone busted out the bulbs. Oh, shit. This isn’t good.

A moment later, someone rams his shoulder into my abdomen and sends me crashing onto the pavement. I gasp, struggling to catch my breath, as the air’s knocked out of me.

A chunky black boot comes at my face, and I throw up my arm to deflect the blow. Then there are two of them kicking me, aiming for my head. I roll to my belly and strain to get up onto my knees, using my arms to shield my head and face. One of them just misses kicking me in the mouth.

I finally succeed in getting to my feet. I swing for the one wearing sneakers and clip his jaw, sending him onto his ass. Then I turn to fend off a hit from the other guy, who attempts a roundhouse kick. I grab his boot and twist, sending him to the pavement as well.

When I turn back, Sneakers is long gone, leaving me with just one assailant. Boots is back up on his feet, ready for another go-around. He manages to land a punch high up on my cheek bone before I punch him square in the jaw. He staggers, catching himself on the hood of a car.

I can tell he’s debating whether or not to take another run at me, but apparently he thinks better of it. He turns and runs farther into the darkened parking lot. I take a minute to catch my breath as my lungs billow for air. I feel the warmth of blood tricking down my cheek and my chin. Damn it. Ruby’s not going to like this.

I’m starting to feel like someone doesn’t want me here. But who?

My money’s on Ruby’s jealous neighbor. He’s got the advantage of proximity, and I have no doubt that he’s got a romantic interest in Ruby. I imagine he resents me moving in on his territory—literally.

I head back into the building and walk up the stairs. When I step back inside the apartment and Ruby gets a good look at my face, she gasps. “Oh, my god! Your face! What happened?”

I give her a wry smile. “I don’t suppose you’d believe me if I said I tripped.”

She frowns. “Hardly. Who did this to you?”

I shrug. “It was too dark to see their faces. I’d guess two hired thugs. They weren’t even good fighters.”

We’re both surprised to hear a knock at this hour. I look through the peephole to see Rick standing outside Ruby’s door, a scowl on his face. “It’s Rick.” He knocks again, loudly, so I unlock the door and open it. “Yes?”

Rick pushes his way into the apartment. “What the hell was that noise outside?” He glares at me. “What the hell happened to your face?” Without waiting for a response, he turns his attention to Ruby. “Why’s this guy still here?”

Ruby swallows hard. “He’s a friend.”

“I’m just visiting,” I say. I don’t like the way he’s talking to Ruby, like she’s done something wrong.

“The lease specifically states that you can’t have long-term visitors,” Rick says.

“He’s only been here a few days,” she says.

Rick turns his attention back to me. “Look, I don’t put up with bullshit in my building. No boyfriends moving in, no roommates who aren’t on the lease. I don’t know what you’re up to, but whatever it is, you can just stop. I want you out of here by morning, you got that?”

Ruby eyes me warily, clearly intimidated by this guy.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I say. “I’m Ruby’s guest, and I’ll stay as long as she wants me to. Do you have these rules written into the lease?”

I stare Rick down until he finally shakes his head.

“Then you can’t kick me out of here.”

“Fine. You want me to call the cops?” he asks. “I’ll tell them you’re disturbing the peace.”

I shrug. “Go right ahead. We both know they’re not going to do anything. I haven’t broken any laws. By the way, both of the bulbs in the parking lot are out. You might want to get on that.”

Rick jabs his index finger in my direction. “You better watch yourself. If you cause any more commotion, I’m calling the cops.”

“It wasn’t Miguel’s fault,” Ruby says. “Someone tried to break into his car, and the alarm went off. He went outside to shut it down, that’s all. Stop accusing him of things he didn’t do.”

“I’m not going to warn you again,” Rick says to me. “Watch yourself.” And then he storms out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

Ruby rushes forward to lock the door. “I’m so sorry about that.”

“It’s not your fault. He’s an ass.”

She laughs. “I’m not going to argue with you on that one.” She surprises me when she takes my hand and pulls me to the bathroom. “Come on. Let me get you cleaned up.”

I’m perfectly capable of cleaning myself up, but it’s kinda nice having Ruby fuss over me like this.

Once we’re in the bathroom, she flips on the light and maneuvers me to the sink. “Hold still,” she says as she starts digging inside the linen closet and pulls out a washcloth, a tube of antibiotic ointment, and a little box of pink Band-Aids.

She turns on the tap, tests the water, and when it’s warm, she wets the washcloth and dabs at my cheek and lip. When I wince, she winces. “I’m so sorry, Miguel. I’m trying to be gentle.”

“It’s fine,” I say, and that’s when I realize my lower lip is starting to swell.

I bite back a laugh. I just got jumped by two guys, and Ruby’s worrying about being gentle with me. After she cleans the blood off my face and smears some of the ointment on the cut on my cheek bone, she applies a pink bandage.

“There’s blood on your T-shirt,” she points out as she reaches for the hem and lifts it up. I take over, raising the shirt above my head and pulling it off. She takes it from me. “I’ll wash this in the morning, see if I can get the blood out. I’ll try, but no promises.”

When she’s done tending to my face, she surveys her workmanship. My bottom lip is throbbing like a bitch, and I can tell I’m going to have a black eye.

I think she catches us both by surprise when she reaches up and brushes my hair back from my forehead. “I’m so sorry,” she says, as if it’s her fault I got jumped.

It’s not. I capture her hand in mine, stunned by how small and fragile it feels in my grasp. “You have nothing to be sorry for. It’s not your fault.”

“I can’t help but think this has something to do with my stalker.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Still, it’s not your fault. Zero.”

She stands in front of me, gazing up into my eyes. There’s a wealth of emotion swirling around in her beautiful blue eyes. This close to her, I see her eyes are flecked with hazel. I could get lost in those eyes. Hell, I want to. I’m aching to.

I clear my throat, hoping to break the spell before I do something stupid that we’ll both end up regretting.

“We should get back to bed,” she says. Her voice sounds odd, as if it’s coming from far away.

“Yeah, good idea. Morning will be here before we know it.” I follow her out of the bathroom, switching off the light on my way out.

She climbs into bed first, and I do the same.

As usual, I’m lying on my back when she turns to me and raises up on her elbow. “Miguel?”

“Yes?”

She leans in close and presses her lips to my cheek. “Thank you. No one has ever done more for me than you have.”

My heart crashes into my ribs, and I’m at a loss for words. How do I respond to that without sounding sappy? This is nothing. I’d do anything for you. All you have to do is ask.

I honestly don’t know what to say, so I do what feels right in the moment. I slide a hand behind her neck and draw her closer. And then I lean forward to meet her halfway and kiss her.

She gasps softly, and then her eyelids drift shut. She leans into the moment, her lips clinging to mine. She tastes like peppermint, and my body responds like she’s oxygen and I’m suffocating.

When I attempt to deepen the kiss, she pulls back, her eyes flashing wide open in surprise. She touch her lips. “Wow.”

Wow? That’s not the usual response I get when I kiss a woman.Then something dawns on me. “Ruby, have you ever had a boyfriend?”

When she shakes her head, I want to kick myself. Of course, she’s never had a boyfriend. She hasn’t left her apartment in two years. And before that, she attended both high school and university online from her home. When would she have had time to get out and mingle? Meet someone? Never.

She looks mortified. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—oh, my god, I’m sorry. Please forget this ever happened, okay?” And then she turns and lies on her side facing away from me.

Shit. “Ruby, I—”

“No, don’t say anything. Please.”

* * *

I can’t sleep. Not only did I fuck up with Ruby, but I’m racking my brain trying to figure out who’s stalking her—and why.

I could kick myself for misreading Ruby’s intentions. She gave me a simple peck on the cheek, like she’d give to a friend. It wasn’t an invitation of a sexual nature. And I misread the cue and kissed her. Really kissed her.

And the car alarm tonight? That was directed at me. Someone hired those two thugs to jump me. Probably the same person who hired that kid to throw rocks at Ruby’s window. Right now the only suspect I have is Darren. He clearly thinks I’m encroaching on his territory. He’s been pretty upfront about his feelings where I’m concerned. But I have zero proof.

I roll onto my side to face Ruby. I think she’s finally asleep. Her breathing has been steady and even for the past hour. Damn it, I shouldn’t have kissed her. It was so damn presumptuous of me. I’ve worked so hard to earn her trust, and I might have thrown all that away in one impetuous mistake. I’m surprised she didn’t ask me to go back to sleeping on the couch.

I turn onto my back and start counting backward from one hundred. Maybe the sheer boredom of it will put me to sleep. One hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight…

The first thing I notice when I wake the next morning is a soft, warm weight pressed against my right side. I don’t even need to open my eyes to know it’s Ruby. I can smell her strawberry shampoo. I lie still, careful not to move, careful not to wake her. I want to enjoy this moment for as long as I can.