“Absolutely.”She hugged her sister and inhaled the sweet, comforting scent of her perfume.“I love you.”
Ellie squeezed her hard.The pressure on her ribs made Natalie wince.She hadn’t even looked at her abdomen after Keetan’s beating, and she wasn’t going to mention it now and upset Ellie further.
A gentle knock sounded, and she pulled back and opened the door.Brick stood there leaning against the doorframe, one hand in his pocket.“Sorry to rush you, but we should really get going.”
“Okay.”She said goodbye to Ellie, and then she and Brick dropped off her key at the office.
As she lowered herself into the passenger seat of his vehicle, pain shot up her side.She hissed.
Brick froze and pinned her with his stare.His gaze swept over her body and back to her face.“What’s wrong?”
She reached for her seatbelt and clicked it into place.“Nothing.Where are we going now?”
His eyes narrowed a fraction, suggesting he didn’t like her changing the conversation.But there was no point in going over every bump and bruise.She’d heal eventually.
“Food,” he said, apparently deciding not to press.“You need to eat.Any preferences?”
She didn’t tell him that the idea of eating made vomit crawl up her throat.“I really can’t think of anything appetizing right now.”
“All right.I’ll handle it.I’ll also rent us a place for the next couple of nights.I came right to your motel after landing.”
She gaped at him.“You don’t think we’ll get Bray back, do you?”The accusation came out on a moan.
He placed his forearm on the console.“I already told you we’re going to find him.I promise.But we’re gonna need somewhere safe to take him, no?”
She wet her lips.“Yeah.”
His gaze turned soft, understanding.God, she could get lost in his mocha eyes for days.“Okay, then.I’m going to find us a short-term rental.Something with lots of space for the tyke to run around.”
Her throat tightened.She couldn’t speak without crying, so she just nodded.
“Good.”He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.“Gimme a minute.Hopefully I can find something with immediate check-in.”
After five minutes or so, he handed her his device.“This place has a backyard with a playset and a room set up for a toddler.It’s not a crib, but I think he’d like it.”
She flipped through the pictures.The rental had an inviting kitchen with a large island and a living room decked out with overstuffed couches and oak floors.There were three bedrooms, one with a king-sized bed.One of the other bedrooms had a toddler bed with a fall-protection rail.“It’s beautiful.You really don’t have to go to the trouble.I could rent my own place.”
She didn’t have much money left, but he didn’t need to know that.
He hiked up an eyebrow.“That’s a little too risky with your picture being shared everywhere.This way you can stay hidden.We need somewhere to sleep anyway, and this place is available right now.”
“Okay, it’s perfect.”
“Good.”He took back his phone before she could look at the price.Not that it mattered much, but curiosity nagged at her.She didn’t want him to spend all kinds of money, and she couldn’t help but wonder if this rental was in his price range.He tapped the screen a couple of times.“All set.Let’s go get food.I can order groceries tonight.”
Her brain spun with how fast he moved.Brick seemed to be the type of man who saw something that needed to get done and did it.He didn’t hesitate, he didn’t drag his feet.He just jumped in.Add in the way he’d made sure the space would be suitable for Bray—it was enough to make her heart explode.
Keetan hadn’t given Bray’s needs or comforts a second thought.Sure, he’d provided.But only because he hadn’t allowed Natalie to get a job.She wished she could say that was because he cared about Bray having his mother around, but the real reason was that he wanted her—them—isolated.
Brick started the car and a few minutes later found a drive-thru.“What do you feel like?”
Natalie glanced at the big screen with the menu.“Um, I guess a Greek wrap would be good.”She should have some kind of appetite, but it was as if parts of her body had shut down.
Brick placed their order and pulled forward.Five minutes later they were driving toward west Detroit.The scent of grilled chicken and onion filled the car.She hadn’t even listened to what Brick ordered.Hunger still hadn’t hit, but the idea of eating was less revolting now.
Fifteen minutes later they reached the neighborhood of Sherwood Forest.Every mile covered was another punch to the gut.It didn’t feel right being this far from Bray’s home.Her mind circled back to the memory of standing in her son’s stark empty room.
What had Keetan done with Bray’s things?