Chapter 20

A knock came from the direction of the door just as I stepped out of the shower, and I jumped.

Who could it be?

Rodrigo had a spare key for the suite, and as far as I knew, no one else knew where we were staying. Unless they had followed us…

I had dismissed Rodrigo's concerns yesterday as we stepped off the elevator, but now I was regretting not paying closer attention to my surroundings. The knock came again, harder this time, sending my pulse into a tailspin.

Grabbing a towel from the rack, I quickly wrapped it around me as I debated my options. Rodrigo had my cell phone; I could call him, but he would probably be too far away to do anything. I could contact the front desk, but what help would they be?

I ventured out of the bathroom on tiptoe, then crossed the bedroom and peered out into the living area. I jumped when the knock came a third time.

What if it was completely innocent? Most killers wouldn't just stride right up and knock on the door. Unless they wanted to lull me into a false sense of security.

I bit my lower lip and deliberated for another couple of seconds before swiftly striding across the room to the foyer. Drawing in a deep breath, I peered through the peephole. The breath rushed from my lungs when I saw Mia and Jules on the other side.

Holding the towel firmly in place, I cracked the door open a few inches. Two sets of eyes stared at me with concern. Mia was the first to speak. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I gave a shaky nod. "I was just in the shower."

Her gaze moved past me to the empty suite. "I saw your friend leave a little while ago. Is he back yet?"

I shook my head. "He'll probably be gone for most of the day." I opened the door a little wider. "Do you want to come in?"

The two women filed inside, and I closed up behind them. Mia propped her hands on her hips and stared at me. "Is everything okay? For real?"

"Yeah." My brows pulled together as I pointed toward the bathroom. "I just?—"

"That's not what I mean. We both saw what happened yesterday between the two of you."

She gestured between herself and Jules, and my heart sank. "It's not like that."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "How well do you really know this guy?"

"I—"

Jules stepped forward and placed a soft hand on my arm. "Lily, I know we don't know each other all that well, so I'm sorry if I'm overstepping, but... I can't stand to see another woman hurt at the hands of a man."

I shook my head vehemently. "He would never hurt me. I promise," I said at their dubious looks.

A sigh fell from my lips. I knew they didn't believe me and hell, I wasn't sure I would believe me either in their position. They were obviously worried about me, and I was touched by their concern.

I was beyond stressed over this whole situation. I knew both of them had met their respective significant others through unconventional means... Maybe they could give me some advice.

"Listen, why don't you guys sit? I'm going to change, then we can talk."

I quickly changed, not bothering with my hair or makeup, then was back a minute later. They both stared at me expectantly as I dropped into the chair across from them. I didn't know these women well, but that was my fault. I kept to myself, building a wall around me to keep everyone out.

As I sat there studying the two women, I found myself conflicted. How much to tell them? If Rodrigo truly was in trouble, then I wanted to help him. But I didn't want to betray his confidence, especially not if it would put him in jeopardy.

He was obviously concerned about the men tracking him to Pine Ridge, and I was certain he wouldn't want people to know how he'd ended up here. He was intensely private, determined to keep his true identity a secret until he moved on.

Pain sliced through my heart. I wanted him to be safe. I wanted him to be here—with me. If we could figure out what was going on, would he consider staying?

I realized I'd been lost in introspection for several minutes, and I cleared my throat as I turned my attention back to Mia and Jules.

"You're right, I have been hiding something. But it's not what you think. Smith"—I used the name I'd made up for him—"has been staying with me for the past few days. Yesterday he saw a strange man outside my shop. The guy took off, and Smith chased after him."

I shook my head. "He didn't find him, and he's worried he'll come back."

Jules's brows drew together. "I mean, it definitely looks bad that the guy ran, but... why would Smith think he would come back?"

"Have you been having trouble with someone recently?" Mia chimed in.

I shook my head. "No, this was the first time. And I didn't even notice him until Smith took off after him."

Mia's frown deepened. "So you don't really even know why the guy was there."

I swallowed hard. "No, but?—"

"How well do you know Smith?"

I squirmed under her assessing gaze. "We're... acquaintances."

My cheeks heated. It wasn't a lie. Not exactly.

"How did he end up here?"

Oh, God. How to explain that? I had to fight to keep my gaze on Mia as I spoke. "He wanted a break from the city, and he knew I lived out this way."

"And you coincidentally just start having problems as soon as he shows up?" Her eyebrow ratcheted upward, causing my stomach to twist into a knot.

"It's not…" I shook my head. "He wouldn't hurt me."

"I think what Mia's saying," Jules cut in, "is that we just want to make sure you're safe. He seems very... intense."

I rubbed my temples. "He is. But what you saw yesterday... I pushed him. I…"

I trailed off, unsure how to tell them without giving away too much. Jules frowned. "Does he get upset easily?"

It didn't take a genius to figure out what she was hinting at. I held up my hands. "I know you don't believe me, but he would never hurt me. In fact, he's made it his mission to protect me ever since he showed up. He…"

I drew in a deep breath. "He wants to make sure I'm safe when he leaves again."

Mia stared at me. "When does he go back home?"

According to Rodrigo, he could never go back to Chicago. And as for how long he planned to stay in Pine Ridge before moving on, I had no idea.

I shrugged. "I'm not really sure. He's kind of playing it by ear."

She drummed her fingers on her rounded belly and studied me. "Would you tell us if something was wrong?"

"Yes," I replied without hesitation. "And I appreciate your concern. I... I don't have many friends here, but I'm glad you two came over. Honestly, I'm not sure what the hell is going on. It's all so... confusing."

Jules gestured between herself and Mia. "If you ever want to talk, you never have to worry about us saying anything. Not unless you want us to. Eric and Jack can help, too, if you need it."

I nodded slowly, my heart heavy. "I think I'm falling for him."

The women traded sympathetic glances, and Jules turned to me. "Have you told him?"

I shook my head. "It wouldn't matter anyway. He's going to leave."

"Maybe you can convince him to stay," Mia said slowly. "If you can prove to him that it's safe, maybe he'll reconsider."

Was it possible? If the man showing up at my shop was just a fluke, and there was no real danger… Would he stay?

He seemed convinced there was no future for us. I was just going to have to change his mind.