With any luck, an arrest was imminent based on the findings in her apartment.
“Good-bye, Kayla. I can guarantee you no judge is going to find you to be a qualified parent now.”
“I hate you,” she spat at him.
“The feeling is mutual. Now go along with the officers like a good girl.” He waved good-bye and leaned back in his seat, satisfaction along with a deep sadness filling him.
Because no matter what, at the end of the day, Kayla was his daughter’s mother and that was a sad thing for his little girl. But he intended to make damned sure she had a wonderful life and lacked for nothing. He just couldn’t make up for her not having a mom.
He drove directly home, anticipating sharing the news with Mia that the custody issue was over. Nobody would share his excitement like she would. But when he let himself into the house, it was too quiet. The door to her room was open and she wasn’t in there, so he headed for the kitchen and family room.
“Mia?” he called out.
“In here.”
He walked toward the sound of her voice and found her on the couch.
“Hey.” He leaned down beside her, clasping her clammy hand in his. “What’s wrong?”
“I came into the kitchen to make something to eat and I got so nauseous. I had to lie down. I guess I fell asleep.” She tried to push herself to a sitting position but he held her back.
“Don’t. I’m going to take you to bed. Then, if you’re hungry, I’ll make you something to eat.”
Her eyelids fluttered. It was obviously a struggle for her to keep them open. “I don’t want to be a burden.”
This woman, he thought with a shake of his head. As if she could ever be a problem.
“Shh.” He brushed her hair off her face before picking her up and lifting her into his arms. He headed through the kitchen, but instead of going toward her room, he turned to go up the stairs.
“Where are we going?” she asked drowsily.
“Somewhere you can rest… and I can keep an eye on you.”
His room, to be exact, but he didn’t want to give her something to argue about by telling her. And since her eyes were already closed, he didn’t think she’d object right now.
* * *
Mia woke up slowly. Her head hurt because her stomach was empty but she didn’t think she was nauseous anymore. But she was warm. Very warm and she became aware of the hard, hot male body aligned with hers.
Austin.
Her heart began beating too fast in her chest as she realized he lay up against her, his body wrapped around hers, his arm draped around her waist, pulling her close. Her body thrummed with awareness.
She opened her eyes, looked around, and realized this wasn’t her room. It was his. She swallowed hard. She remembered feeling sick after a trip to the kitchen and lying down on the sofa. Then he came home, found her, and carried her to her bed.
The sweet man. The sweet, sexy, protective man. He was going to kill her with his kindness and caring while she was supposed to be guarding her heart against his potent appeal.
She wondered if she could roll out from beneath his weight and slip away without waking him. No sooner had she shifted than he groaned, the sound reverberating through her.
“What time is it?” he asked, not letting go of her.
She blinked and glanced at the clock on his nightstand. “Four,” she said. She’d slept the day away. “Umm … why am I in your bed? With your arm around me?”
Instead of releasing her, he hugged her tighter. “You’re in my bed because I wanted to be able to keep an eye on you if you needed anything. And as for the other, I fell asleep and it just happened.”
She noticed he didn’t apologize for it, either. “Thank you.” But this was not a position she needed to be in and she pushed herself to a sitting position, forcing him to release his hold.
He stretched and sat up beside her, running a hand over his messed hair, which, damn him, gave him a hot, just-had-sex kind of appearance. While no doubt she looked like death warmed over.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, his tone worried.
She took a minute to catalogue how she felt now that she was upright. A little underlying queasiness. Damn. She’d hoped she really was all better.
“Not perfect but better,” she admitted. “But I should go.”
“No, you should let me get you food. You passed out before eating. Did you have anything earlier?” he asked, giving her a knowing glance.
“No.” She bit down on her lower lip. “But I can take care of it myself.”
He shook his head. “That would be a no. I don’t want to worry about you fainting or getting nauseous again, so sit tight and I’ll be back with toast.” He rolled out of bed.