I shook my head and glanced out the window. “I never had that kind of money.” Besides getting Prince, I didn’t like remembering the events that had brought me here.
“How’d you get here?” he asked softly.
Staring at the brightly lit buildings that I could see out my window of the SUV, I focused on that brightness. “I hitched rides here and there.”
“You hitchhiked?” His voice rang with incredulousness.
“Yeah,” I said, shrinking down in my seat. “I had some unpleasantness with a few big-rig drivers, but I met a nice one in Omaha. I did the last stretch with him in only one week.”
“What do you mean by unpleasant?” Jack asked. Obviously, he wasn’t going to allow me to skim over details.
“The usual type of unpleasantness from men toward women like me.” I could feel his gaze boring into me, but I didn’t look at him.
“Did someone force you to have sex?”
“I knew the risks.” I didn’t outright answer, though there had been more than one time that the fee extracted for the privilege of a ride hadn’t been consensual. It was the cost of doing my sort of business.
Continuing to stare out the window, I wished I was a person on the sidewalk, someone new with somewhere to go, somewhere to be.
“In my profession, those risks exist in LA too, so I thought it would be worth it for a chance at a fresh start.”
Sensing my unease, Prince lifted his head and looked at me with his cute doggie eyes.
“I’m okay, boy,” I said gently as I scratched his head.
Comforting him, comforted me. When he lowered his head to my thigh again, I shoved the dark thoughts into the farthest corner of my mind.
“Are you really okay?” Jack asked, his voice tight. “Seems to me you’re barely holding on.”
He was right. I snapped my head in his direction to find him frowning at me.
“You’re lucky to be alive, Lorelei.” Jack’s eyes had an angry glint to them. He seemed upset on my behalf, which surprised me. No one ever had been.
“I know.” Only I didn’t feel lucky. Tears burned behind my eyes. I hated how I was the one who felt guilty when men took advantage of me.
“Why’d you come out here?” He studied me closely, his frown deepening. He seemed to see the darkness I tried so hard to hide. “For Jewel?”
“No.” I shook my head. “A guy I met in rehab has a brother who manages a hotel in Manhattan. He said they were hiring in housekeeping, but when I got here and applied, they wouldn’t hire me.”
“Because . . .” He let that hang.
I filled in what seemed obvious now in retrospect. “I’m a recovering drug addict and a prostitute.”
“You put that on the application?” he asked, his eyes wide.
“Yeah.” I couldn’t lie. “They told me they’d do a background check.” I shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal, but it was my life. It was a huge inescapable big deal.
“We’re here, sir,” Lars said, and we both jumped. I hadn’t even noticed the time going by.
“So we are.” Jack didn’t take his eyes off me. He seemed as absorbed by me as I was by him.
“You don’t have to do this,” I whispered, feeling small and desperate.
“Do what?” His brows drew together.
“Let me into your place,” I said. “I’m an unknown, a risk.”
“I think you’re worth the risk.” The ambient lightning inside the vehicle made the gold specks in his eyes glow.
“All right.” I let out a relieved breath, pretending that wasn’t the nicest compliment I’d ever received. But it was.
Getting out on his side, he came around to mine. “Let me help you.”
Jack opened my door, offering me his hand. I placed mine in his, letting him keep me steady as I stepped down onto the running board and then the pavement. My skin tingled, and those tingles spread, bringing warmth to places that hadn’t felt warm in a very long time.
When he had me safe on the sidewalk, he returned to the vehicle to make sure Prince got out okay. Returning to me, he grasped my hand and brought it to the crook of his arm.
He was treating me like I was a lady, his lady. I wasn’t one, but his actions made me feel that way. I’d never met anyone like him who made me feel like he did. Feelings like those weren’t real, and they couldn’t last.
I’m fine. It’s fine.
But I knew it wasn’t.
CHAPTER 7
Jack
Lorelei had been through hell and survived it. I couldn’t wrap my head around it, and I didn’t want to. It made me feel murderous. She was so delicately beautiful, vulnerable yet incredibly brave. How could anyone contemplate hurting her?
My thoughts troubled, I opened the glass door and led her into the building. I watched her closely as we crossed the lobby. She seemed steady, but I’d feel better once I got her inside the apartment. She needed food.
Knowing the ins and outs of this building since I’d rented units in it before, I guided her to the elevator. Once the gold doors slid open, I led her in and swiped my card to engage the keypad.
“Are you sure dogs are okay here?” She shifted closer, though the space was small. I liked her closer.
“Yeah.” Vaguely, I watched the numbers on the display going up. Mostly, I watched her. She’d had my full attention since I first laid eyes on her. “Do you think Prince needs to go out?”
He had his rear end on the floor by her feet. He looked comfortable. I was glad she at least had the dog looking out for her.
She shook her head. “Not now.”
Her reddish-gold hair shimmered, reflecting the overhead lights. I wanted to run my fingers through the silky-looking strands, and her hair was far from the only part of her I wanted to touch.
“But he probably will need to before it gets too much later.” She dropped her gaze. She was so skittish. After what she’d shared, I knew why.
“You’re staying the night. I’m feeding you, and you need a safe place to rest to get your bearings. You’re not thinking of sneaking away on me, are you?” I asked and grasped her elbow.
Thinking about what had happened to her made me see red. Thinking of her disappearing and going back into the streets made me panic. I didn’t want anyone hurting her ever again.
“Maybe,” she said and sucked on her temptingly plump bottom lip.
“You don’t trust me.” I put that out there. Shifting to fully face her, I lifted her chin and searched her eyes. I saw fear I wished wasn’t there.
“I don’t trust any men.”
Her eyes sheened, and I knew she was remembering the reasons why. She was scared, but she didn’t pull away from me.
Don’t be offended. You didn’t hurt her. You just have to prove to her you’re not like the others.
“Of course you don’t.” I got it, or I thought I did. “But can you try?”
The elevator dinged our arrival. I gestured for her to step out first. She did, and Prince trotted beside her. When I placed my hand on the small of her back, some of the anger and most of my panic receded. I didn’t like separation between us.