I’d forgotten how trying Benito could be. “Are you going to give me a reference?”
“What kind of monster would I be if I didn’t?”
“That’s a yes, right?”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes.”
“Wow.” This changed everything. I could start over in Paris. I wouldn’t have to put up with my grandmother’s more than likely rejection and the rest of the Hollands’ reaction to my presence in their city. I’d be doing something I’d always wanted to do. I’d be living in Paris! I could escape whatever arcane hell was going on with this attacker business.
But the most alluring part of taking a job in Paris?
I wouldn’t have to worry about accidentally bumping into Caine anymore. I could take my broken heart to another continent. Somehow that was reassuring. Maybe in Paris I’d have a chance to actually move on.
Whereas if I was stuck in Boston, everything would remind me of him.
“What about this?” I pointed to my belly. “Doc says recovery time varies from four to six weeks.”
“Well, I’m sure you can work something out with Antoine’s sister.”
I smiled with sincerity. “Benito, thank you.”
He grinned. “I’m forgiven?”
I laughed. “You’re forgiven.”
CHAPTER 28
I was being tortured.
The familiar, delicious scent of Caine’s cologne tickled my nose, and other less innocent places. My arms were wrapped around his neck as he carried me, holding me close to his hard body. I stared glumly at his lips that hovered near my face, and fought the urge to kiss him.
“You know, with all your money you could have installed an elevator inside your apartment so you didn’t have to carry me all the way upstairs,” I grumbled, only half joking, as he laid me down on his guest bed.
His hands rested on the bed at the sides of my shoulders as he braced over me. His eyebrows drew together as he searched my face. “Did I hurt you?”
The whole moving from the hospital to Caine’s apartment hadn’t been the most comfortable process, but no, he hadn’t hurt me. At least not physically.
“No,” I mumbled, and looked away.
Caine sighed. “Are you still mad at me?”
Yes, but now for a different reason. I glared at him. Why hadn’t he moved away? Move away! “Yes.”
“I’m trying to protect you.” He pulled back and I sighed in relief.
“I could have stayed with Rach. She offered.”
“And put up with a crazy four-year-old who would have no consideration for the fact that you’re wounded? There’s a way to guarantee ripping your stitches.”
Since I couldn’t argue with that, I continued glowering.
He smirked at me. “I would never have guessed you’d be an irritable patient.”
“Oh, I’m glad this is amusing you.” I groaned as I lifted myself up into a sitting position and Caine hurried forward to help me. I stopped him by raising a palm to ward him off. I’d had enough of being manhandled by the man I was no longer allowed to handle.
While I was in the hospital, someone had outfitted Caine’s guest room for me. It had always been a nice room, but now there was a television and a DVD player across from the bed, and a bookshelf stacked with books and magazines in the corner. An eReader and a laptop sat on the bedside table along with … knitting needles? I stared at them for a second and then raised an eyebrow at Caine.
Amused, he explained, “Effie says knitting calms the soul.”
“Do I look like I knit?”
“No, but you like you’re in a snit.”
“Oh, great, I get stabbed and you get cute.”
He threw me a look. “Seriously,” he muttered, coming over to fluff my pillows like the perfect nursemaid, “what’s crawled up your ass since leaving the hospital?”
“You.” I batted his hand away from my pillows. “You, you, you.” Could he really not see this was difficult for me? “It’s bad enough I have to be here to recuperate. Maybe you could just help me out a little by backing off.”
He seemed stunned by my outburst … until slowly I watched understanding dawn on his face. He stepped back from the bed. “I have to be here to help you out, Lex. There’s nothing to be done about that.”
I nodded and looked away, feeling utterly vulnerable that he now knew just how much it affected me to be around him. “But Effie will be here mostly?”
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
“I take it you don’t want to watch a movie with me, then?”
An ache gripped my chest as I remembered our first movie night together.
“Maybe we could stay like this forever …”
I pushed the memory of his words out of my head and reached for the laptop. “Not tonight.”
Taking the hint, Caine moved to leave. He stopped at the doorway. “Can I get you anything before I leave you alone for the night?”
Leave me alone for the night?
The panic must have shown on my face, because he gentled. “I meant alone in this room. I’ll be down the hall.”
The thought of him lying down the hall from me filled me with even more frustration. I cursed my complicated feelings. I wanted him there, but I didn’t want him there. How fun for me. “A glass of water.”
He gave me a nod, seeming pleased to have been given a job. “Coming right up.”
At his departure I exhaled slowly.
I could hear Effie in my head, urging me not to give up on Caine, urging me to keep pushing and pushing at him until he finally gave me his secrets.
Right now I just felt too angry. I knew my anger came from the attack that left me feeling scared. I hated that I’d been made to feel like a victim. That feeling was seeping into every aspect of my life, and somehow it felt like a betrayal of myself—a weakness more than a strength—to fight for Caine when he was so resistant.
“If I don’t get out of this room soon, I’m going to scream.”
Effie gave me a warning look. “Scream and I will not bake you any more cakes.”
“Good. I’m getting fat.”
“Pfft.” She drew her eyes over me. “You’ve been eating like a bird since you got here. The only reason you’re not disappearing before my very eyes is my cakes.”
“Effie,” I whimpered like a child. “I need fresh air. At least let me go out on the balcony.”
To be fair I had been cooped up in Caine’s guest room for the last week. Effie stuck around the apartment while Caine was at work. I appreciated her help more than I could say. She was there to make sure I got in and out of the shower okay. She helped me change my dressing daily and proved herself once again pretty spry and strong for an old lady. Effie was also a great babysitter because she hung out with me, but she also hung out downstairs, giving us both space. Other than Effie I’d had Caine’s cleaner, Donna, for company the two times she arrived for work. It was my first time meeting her and I was more than a little uncomfortable with the circumstances. Along with Effie and Donna, I’d had Rachel and Sofie visit when they dropped by a few times. As did Henry and Nadia. They entertained me without even meaning to. I was fascinated witnessing Henry’s interaction with her. He constantly watched her—tender with her in a way I’d never seen from him before. As for Nadia, she was clearly really into him. I had my fingers crossed for them both, because I genuinely liked Nadia, and I’d come to care for Henry over the last few months. Someone had to get a happily ever after at the end of all this.