“It isn’t something I talk about.”
I brought my fingers to her neck and gently kneaded it. “Did someone touch you in a way you didn’t want?”
It took a while, but eventually, she nodded.
“Before you moved to Boston?”
She nodded again. “It’s one of the reasons I left.”
It was all I could do to keep my anger in check. If she sensed it, she’d clam up. “Was it someone close to you?”
Mila shook her head. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
“If I ever do anything to make you uncomfortable, I want you to tell me.”
She didn’t answer with words, but she snuggled closer to me, and that told me everything I needed to know. Mila trusted me, and I wouldn’t do anything to make her regret doing so.
It wasn’t long before her breathing evened out and I knew she was asleep. It was another example of her trust in me. I closed my eyes, not wanting to wake her. When I did, she’d go into one room to sleep and me another; I wasn’t ready to let go yet.
It was quiet out in the woods. I could hear the creek bubbling out front and the sounds of wildlife in the distance, but when I heard something that sounded like footsteps, my eyes opened wide.
I gently eased myself out from under Mila, propped her up with a pillow, and crept over to the closest window. The only light inside the cabin was a single candle burning, so I doubted anyone could see much. They’d see my shadow in front of the window, though, so I stayed off to the side, drew my gun from my calf holster, and looked in the direction I’d heard the noise. It wasn’t long until I heard the sound of a vehicle’s engine off in the distance. I crept to the door and eased outside, staying close to the cabin as I looked around. Without much light from the moon, I couldn’t see if there were footprints, but I’d check all around the structure in the morning.
I went back inside, where Mila was still asleep on the sofa. While my plan had been to sleep in separate rooms, there was no way I’d let her out of my sight now. I scooped her into my arms and carried her into the first bedroom I came to. Unlike the others that had smaller beds, this one had a king-size mattress.
She stirred when I eased her body onto the bed.
“Decker?”
“Shh. Go back to sleep.”
I lay next to her, only allowing myself to doze on and off.
The sun had been up for at least a couple of hours before Mila woke up.
“Hey,” I said when she looked up at me.
“Hi.” She removed herself from my grasp, sat up, and looked around the room. “I don’t remember coming in here last night.”
“You were pretty out of it.”
“You slept here?”
“Yep. Just like this.” I looked down at my fully clothed body.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what? Being exhausted? Don’t be.”
She got out of bed; I watched as she looked at her phone and powered it back on. When she padded to the restroom, I got up too and straightened the bedclothes. Maybe she’d want to go back to sleep. If so, it would give me time to go out and look around for evidence of anyone being on the property the night before.
Remembering that she’d wanted s
ome yesterday morning, I went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. As I waited for it to brew, I peered out the same window I’d stood near the night before. I couldn’t see anything from this vantage point, but I’d get out there as soon as I could to take a better look.
“What are you looking at?” Mila asked.
“Nothing. Just waiting for the coffee,” I answered without turning to look at her.