Текст книги "His Lover to Protect"

Автор книги: Katee Robert

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 11 страниц)

She didn’t know how to respond to that, so she didn’t say anything. As they wound around the lake next to the massive building, her mind turned to the promise he’d made her at the top of Preikestolen. His mouth, her body, hours lost. She shouldn’t be so distracted by a man she barely knew, but if he was here through coincidence—and, really, what other logical reason would have put him at the top of that cliff at the same time as her?—the universe couldn’t be more clear than if it’d put up a big sign over his head that read Pay attention to him!

The problem was, she was still having a hell of a time believing that it was a coincidence. He could be a killer who’s stalking me. Even as the thought crossed her mind, she discarded it. If he were going to murder her and wear her skin as a birthday suit, he had more than enough opportunity in Cork when she was in his room, sleeping and vulnerable. And that cliff they’d just scaled—yeah, he could’ve pushed her right off it.

Alexis had her plan when she hopped that white-knuckled flight out of Philadelphia, but she hadn’t shared it with anyone. She’d picked a few places that had been important, either to her or to her mother. To anyone on the outside looking in, they’d be completely random and impossible to anticipate.

She’d only told…

She shot a look at him, slouched and glaring out the windshield. The only person she’d told was Avery. Surely her sister wouldn’t have… Alexis nearly cursed aloud. Of course Avery would. And even if she wouldn’t, Drew most certainly would. “Do you know Drew Flannery or Avery Yeung?” Even as she asked, part of her whispered please, please, please don’t be true.

Luke yawned. “Who?” Not even so much of a twitch at their names. If he had been sent here to babysit her, surely he would have given himself away?

She didn’t know. There was no way to tell for sure, but the possibility seemed less and less likely the more she thought about it. Where the hell would they have found this man, after all? She might not be as close to Drew as her sister was, but he wouldn’t have just contracted some random guy. He was far too overprotective for that, and no way would Avery have stood for it. Still… “What branch of the military did you say you were part of?”

Another yawn. “Marines.”

Well, that was that. Drew’s brother, Ryan, was Air Force. It didn’t mean he didn’t have contact with Marines, but anyone he trusted enough to send after her would be someone he’d worked with—someone he trusted with his own life, let alone hers. Which obviously wasn’t Luke. Honestly, she couldn’t see this angry man and nice guy Ryan having a single conversation, let alone spending enough time together to create a friendship.

Thank God.

It truly was just a coincidence that he’d ended up here the same time she had. Alexis nodded to herself and turned into the parking lot of the lodge. Good. And if I’m going in for a penny, I might as well go in for a pound. She shut off the car and looked at him. “Don’t bother booking a room. You’ll be with me tonight.”

Chapter Nine

After that damning proclamation, Luke should have told her to go to hell. As much as he’d wanted to strip her down up on Pulpit Rock, now he was so tired, he’d be lucky if he didn’t pass out right here in the passenger seat of this tiny-ass car. But the lure of a bed and a hot shower got him moving when Alexis climbed out of the driver’s seat. “Sorry, princess, I’m not really in the mood anymore.”

“That’s cute, but I wasn’t talking about sex. I’m afraid if I leave you alone, you’re going to end up unconscious and suffering from that hypothermia you were so worried about.”

Right. She wasn’t concerned with getting him naked—she just wanted to make sure his weak ass didn’t hurt himself. “In the immortal words of Princess Alexis—I can take care of myself.”

She glanced over her shoulder long enough to glare at him. “Could you tone down on the caveman charm for a few minutes? You’re going to scare the villagers, and then we’ll be dealing with torches and pitchforks.”

Like they’d gone after Frankenstein. “You have no idea how accurate that description is.” Most days he felt like he’d been pieced together, his body no longer his own. There wasn’t a mad doctor waiting in the wings, laughing maniacally, though. It was just him, a prisoner crippled by his boatload of issues.

They walked through the lobby, and she led the way deeper into the lodge. “You’re right. Poor, scarred Luke. Nobody understands him.”

“Are you mocking me?” He’d spent weeks in a hospital being put back together, followed by months of physical therapy—not to mention the loss of his career, identity, and most of his friends. That wasn’t something to poke fun at. He was still trying to find his feet after everything he’d lost.

“Not what happened to you.” She stopped in front of a door and opened it, standing back to let him limp in. He had a second to thank God it was a single occupancy instead of the bunk setup, and then Alexis kept going, “But seriously, could you be any more tortured about it? I’ve seen men who lost all their limbs who still managed to have a better attitude than you do.”

“You don’t get it.” His entire identity had been tied up in the pararescuers. He was the man all the badasses in the armed forces called when they needed help. He saved lives and ran headlong into situations that would send most people fleeing scared, and he’d loved every second of it.

That was all beyond his reach now, gone in a split second.

“You’re right. I don’t. I’m sure there isn’t another person in this world who’s been hurt like you have.” She rolled her eyes. “Whatever you have to tell yourself to sleep at night, Luke. Every single person has lost something and some of us…” Her voice broke, surprising him so much that he dropped into the single chair. “Some of us have actually lost everything.”

What the hell was he supposed to say to that? That nothing in her perfect princess life could measure up to his crawling back from the brink of death? Saying as much suddenly felt on the far side of crass. There was something in her eyes, something that called to him on a foundational level. She looked like a woman who’d walked through hell and back, just the same as he had. What the hell happened to you, darlin’? “Alexis—”

“Forget it.” She headed for the door. “I’m going to go find the laundry room and see about some ice for your knee. Why don’t you lay your stuff out and give it a chance to dry?”

Before he could formulate a response, she was gone, shutting the door behind her. Luke closed his eyes and leaned back to smack his head on the wall a few times. It didn’t do anything for the toxic mix of lust and anger inside him. So he decided to do something useful and dry out his shit. The two pairs of jeans he had were filthy from all the goddamn walking, and his shirts weren’t in much better condition. Doing laundry had just become the number one priority.

Not wanting to waste this opportunity, he grabbed his satellite phone and dialed. As expected, Flannery picked up on the second ring. “Yeah?”

“I found her.”

A sigh of relief. “Thank God. Avery is losing her shit over this whole thing. Drew is convinced it’s going to mess with the baby, and no one can convince him otherwise.”

“Well, she didn’t fall to her death from a drop of two thousand feet, so that should reassure everyone.” He paused, making sure there was no sound of footsteps on the other side of the door. “She’s fine. A huge pain in my ass, but fine.”

“Good. You’ve got to keep up with her, man.”

“I’m trying. At some point, if I keep showing up where she is, she’s going to either call the cops or figure out something’s up.” And he didn’t relish the conversation either of those options would bring about.

“Convince her to bring you along. She can’t know that we didn’t trust her to do this alone.” Another sigh. “She needs this, Jacks.”

Even hearing his old PJ nickname wasn’t enough to distract him. She needed to have everyone at home so torn up and worried that her pregnant sister was possibly endangering her unborn kid? For the millionth time, he wondered what the hell she’d gone through to make everyone so willing to let her jaunt off to find herself. He could ask Flannery, and it was likely the man would even tell him, but Luke held off.

He wanted to hear it from her.

He cleared his throat. “If Avery’s so worried, why don’t I just pack her up and bring her home?”

“No. Stick with the plan.”

That’s what he thought his former squad mate would say. For the first time since he agreed to this insane mission, he was actually grateful. Getting Alexis to agree to his tagging along was going to be a chore, but part of him relished the challenge. She didn’t give an inch, and as frustrating as he found that sometimes, he actually admired that part of her. It made him want to know more, even though getting any closer to her was a goddamn mistake. “Roger that.”

“Thanks, man. I…know this can’t be easy on you.”

“I’m fine.” And he sure as hell didn’t need to be coddled. “I’ll keep you updated.” He hung up before Flannery could say anything else to insinuate that he wasn’t up to par. It wasn’t intentional, but that didn’t make it sting any less. The sad truth was that he wasn’t in fighting shape anymore. Nothing anyone did or said was going to change that.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway as he stuffed the phone back into his pack and dumped his dirty clothes onto the floor. She’d been right to figure out the laundry situation first. God alone knew where they were headed next. He didn’t relish the thought of walking around, smelling like several-day-old clothing.

Alexis opened the door and paused, her gaze going to the pile of clothes. “I found the laundry room.” She held up a plastic bucket. “And ice.”

He grabbed his last clean pair of boxer briefs and stripped down, ignoring Alexis’s shocked exhale. He might have no interest in jumping her bones right now—which was a dirty lie with her standing there, her wet dress clinging to her body until she somehow looked more sensual than if she were naked—but he was done hiding from her. If she turned away from his scars now, after what they’d done the other night, then she would only confirm everything he was so sure of when it came to her.

And if she didn’t turn away…

Alexis couldn’t move as Luke kicked off his pants. After how careful he’d been to make sure she didn’t see his scars the other night, he was stripping in front of her. One look at the angry challenge in his eyes and she understood. He thought she was going to shy away or flinch, and it was easier to go on the attack than to take it passively. Well, tough luck. Everyone had scars—his just happened to be physical, in addition to the mental load he so obviously carried around.

She was the last person who was going to falter when it came to other people’s issues. She had far too many of her own.

When he was finally naked in front of her, she let herself look her fill. God, he was magnificent. The scars only added to the picture, winding up his right leg and side, drawing attention to his narrow waist, leading up to a set of pectoral muscles that made her mouth water. Even his half-finished tattoo sleeves only created a picture of a man who was in the midst of change.

Kind of like her.

It wasn’t a comfortable realization, because it made her feel closer to him, and if his actions over the last few days were anything to go by, he didn’t want anyone closer to him. What were the odds that she’d go to Europe and end up spending time with a man who was just as broken as she was?

Luke held out his hands, as if asking, Well?

She shrugged. “I’ve seen worse.”

He blinked, the shock on his face almost hilarious. She knew better than to laugh, though. Who was the last person he let see him like this? I bet it was someone he was in love with. I bet whoever she was, she flinched away from him and added yet another scar to the mix. It was enough to make her wish she had the ability to reach back through history and slap the shit out of whoever she was—and Alexis had no doubt it was a woman. This level of almost-insecurity didn’t come from comments made from the same sex.

As they stood there, staring at each other, she had to do something to break the moment. It felt too fragile, too intimate. She couldn’t fix Luke. She couldn’t even fix herself. But maybe she could ensure that he walked away from their time together with a few experiences to mark in the “good” column.

After all, he’d already done the same for her.

Alexis held up the bucket of ice. “Why don’t you go shower and then put some ice on that knee? I’ll get the laundry started.”

“Laundry. Right.” With a nod, he disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door. A few seconds later, the shower started.

Then, and only then, did she slouch to the bed and let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She’d known Luke was as damaged—like called to like—but somehow this new realization hit harder than that basic knowledge. Someone had hurt him, beyond the devastating physical injury. With each new piece of information she carved away, she was forced to face the facts—they weren’t nearly as different as she’d thought. If he didn’t think she was so damn worthless, they might have even…

Alexis laughed. Might have what? Fallen into a bed of roses and used their mutual understanding to heal each other’s brokenness? That kind of thing only happened in movies. The reality was that each person had to look inside themself for the strength to move past their issues. No one else could make that decision for someone else.

Life might be so much easier if they could.

Shaking her head, she emptied her dirty clothes onto the pile with his and set aside a pair of yoga pants and a tank top for later. It took ten minutes to stuff everything in and start the machine, and by the time she made it back to the room, Luke was sprawled on the tiny bed in just his underwear, a makeshift ice pack on his knee. The sight of him sent things low in her stomach tightening, and she stopped inside the doorway, not sure what to do about it. Her first impulse was to crawl into bed with him and use her mouth to explore every inch of exposed skin, but he needed to rest more than she needed his hands on her body.

She had no idea what to do with the protective urge that rose inside her. He didn’t want her help. He’d probably snap at her if she even tried.

He’s using the ice, which means he’s in more pain that he wants to admit.

There wasn’t much she could do for an old injury. Alexis wasn’t a surgical nurse, and even if she were, he’d healed. Now it was a matter of him coming to terms with his new limits and doing the best he could not to injure the weakened knee worse. She had a feeling he was having a hell of a time with both those things.

Alexis dug through her bag to find the bottle of ibuprofen she’d stashed in a side pocket and tapped out two pills. “Take these.”

“I’m not your patient.” But he still took the pills and dry-swallowed them. “You don’t have to baby me.”

“I’m not. And admitting that you overdid it doesn’t mean you’re failing.” She didn’t look at him as she spoke, concentrating on reorganizing her bag. She had the strangest feeling like she was approaching a wild creature that was as likely to take off her arm as it was to run away. It wasn’t that she wanted Luke to pour out his heart to her… Not really.

To distract both of them, she said, “What do you do for work?”

He snorted. “Nice change of subject.”

God, he was so prickly. Alexis looked up long enough to shoot him a glare. “Yeah, well, you obviously don’t want to talk about your knee, and sitting here in silence isn’t my idea of a good time.”

“Okay, I’ll play. Right now I’m helping out at my cousin’s shop. Basically, if it’s American made, he can fix it. Even if it’s not, he can probably fix it.” His voice dropped so low she almost missed the next part. “Don’t need two good legs to work on cars.”

She set her bag to the side. “Or a good attitude, either.”

Luke scowled. “I lost everything when that IED took me out. Maybe I’m not clasping my hands and singing ‘Kumbaya’ around a campfire, but I still manage to get out of bed every morning without putting a gun in my mouth and ending it all.”

“Is that really an option you’ve considered?” The thought of the world without him in it made her stomach lurch, but she kept her tone quiet and steady.

“No, damn it.” He didn’t look the least bit happy to admit it, either. “I lived. For whatever reason, my time came and went on that operating table, and I’m still kicking.” He took a sharp breath and seemed to struggle to rein in his temper. “I know I’m a mean bastard, and I know it doesn’t seem like it some days, but I am happy to be alive.”

She watched the truth dawn on his face, and wondered if this was the first time he’d said as much aloud. “Good.” She wanted to say more, to point out that there was so much more to the world than war and death and loss, but with her own loss like a monkey on her back, it felt hypocritical in the extreme. Luke admitted he was happy to be alive. That was as much a step in the right direction as her journey to the top of Pulpit Rock earlier.

I won’t be there to see the end of it.

The truth settled in her chest, as heavy as a boulder. Maybe he was in Europe for the same reason she was, but their time would come to an end and their paths would split, and she’d never see the moment he let the chains of the past go. Because he would. She was suddenly sure of that.

“What happened to you?”

Alexis looked up and froze, a deer facing off with a hungry wolf. The way Luke’s eyes pinned her in place certainly felt predatory. “What?”

“Give me a little credit here, darlin’. You didn’t just decide to travel by yourself through Europe for no reason. Well-adjusted people don’t feel the need to hike to the top of a cliff and touch the edge. Trust me.” He jerked a thumb at his chest. “It takes one to know one.”

This was the moment. He’d bared his physical scars to her. Now she had the choice between returning the favor with her emotional scars or turning away. She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. There were too many other voices in her head. Eric’s saying, “You weren’t that much of a catch to begin with, Alexis. And now I’m expected to give up my future children? Absolutely not.” Yé-yé’s saying, “You had one job, and you’ve failed at that, Alexis. You bring shame on our family.” On her dark days, she suspected they both would have been happier if the cancer took her life, instead of her uterus. Even her sister’s saying, “I’m pregnant.” All of them reminders of how she’d dropped the ball as a woman.

She couldn’t stand the thought of seeing the same disappointment reflected in Luke’s sea-green eyes. He might find her aggravating as all get out, but he wanted her. Would he still feel the same way if he knew about the cancer?

I can’t take that chance.

She pushed to her feet. “I need a shower.”

“Ah, hell, princess. Just when I thought we were getting somewhere.”

Shame heated the back of her neck as she slipped into the bathroom and shut the door, but it wasn’t enough to make her stop and turn around and pour out her broken heart to him.

Chapter Ten

Call him a fool, but Luke was actually surprised when Alexis basically dived into the bathroom to escape him. He wished his question had been idle curiosity—it would have made her retreat easier to bear—but his need to know more about her past had taken on a life of its own. She was so damn strong in so many ways. Aggravating as hell sometimes, but strong. She’d looked at his scars and then called him out.

Even his Aunt Rose had reacted at the sight of his knee. She’d gone back to the ball-busting woman he knew almost immediately afterward, but that half a second of horror on her face had been enough to confirm what he’d already known. He was fucked up beyond repair.

And then here came this little woman who seemed to have more stubbornness than common sense to shine a light on him in a way he’d never experienced before. Alexis didn’t look at him and see a broken man, never able to be whole again. She acknowledged his injury the same way she’d acknowledge that he had green eyes or blond hair—just a part of him, no greater or smaller than any other part.

He didn’t know what the hell he was supposed to do about that.

A scream brought him to his feet before he registered the decision to move. A second one had him hurtling through the bathroom door, ignoring the protest his knee made. He found Alexis huddled in the corner of the shower, but after a quick glance to make sure she wasn’t hurt, he bypassed her to search for the threat.

“What’s wrong? Why’d you scream?” He turned in another circle, wondering what the hell he’d missed. Unlike a lot of the rooms in hostels scattered around Europe, this one had its own private bathroom, which meant there was no way for anyone else to gain access to it without coming into the room itself. Luke might have been distracted, but he sure as hell would have seen someone walk by him.

The room was empty except for her.

She pointed a shaking finger, and he followed the line down to the… He blinked, part of him wondering if this was some kind of joke. “A spider. You screamed bloody murder because of a tiny half-drowned spider.”

Alexis made another frightened noise that was just this side of a shriek. “Kill it. Oh my God, just kill it.”

Even though she was obviously afraid, he couldn’t help a little snark. “Don’t move. I think it can smell fear.” He hurried back into the bedroom and retrieved a boot. One well-placed smash later, the threat was eliminated—and his boot was wet. “He’s gone. You’re safe.”

“Thanks.” She looked around the bathroom as if expecting more spiders to pour from the vents or something.

Luke shook his head, not sure if he should hug her or laugh his ass off. “Princess, you kicked my ass and laughed at me afterward. You scaled a twenty-story cliff. How are you possibly afraid of a little bug?”

Her shiver was so violent, it made the rings on the shower curtain rattle. “You’re a grown man. Grown men do not scuttle.” She shuddered. “Spiders scuttle. It’s freaky and unnatural.”

Holy shit, she was downright precious. He grinned. “The distinction is noted.” And so were the soapsuds sliding down from her hair, between her breasts, and over the long line of her stomach. He wanted to trace that same path with his tongue, and take it one step further to drape her leg over his shoulder so he had nothing stopping his ability to taste her there.

Suddenly, he wasn’t feeling all that tired at all.

“If you could see the way you’re looking at me.”

“Like what?” He already knew. He just wanted to hear her say it. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of hearing filthy words come out of Alexis Yeung’s mouth.

She licked her lips. “Like you want to take me up against this shower wall.”

Christ, but he did. Luke didn’t say anything, though. Not yet. He just let himself look his fill, tracing her body with his gaze, from her pale pink toenails to her long legs, the tempting vee between her thighs, her nipples that practically begged for his mouth, and finally to her challenging hazel eyes. She was the most perfectly shaped woman he’d ever seen, and the fire of her personality only made her more attractive.

“Are you going to stand there and stare or are you going to lose the underwear and join me?” The tone of her voice said she didn’t think it was much of a decision, and she was right.

But there was one thing they needed to cover first. “The conversation isn’t over between us.”

“I’m sorry?”

She knew exactly what he was talking about. He could read the knowledge all over her wide eyes and the way her body shook. “You will tell me about your past, and what happened to you. Eventually.” As much as he wanted to have the information right this second, it wouldn’t mean a damn thing if he forced it out of her. He wanted her to want to tell him. “When you’re ready.”

“And if I’m never ready?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? This thing between them had an expiration date, something he’d do damn well to remember. Luke met her gaze, seeing far more than he knew she’d want him to. Damn, darlin’, you have scars to rival mine, don’t you? “You will be.”

“You seem so sure. I wish I could be that sure.” She glanced away and then back, resolve showing in her expression. “Why are you still wearing underwear?”

He let the previous subject go. Sex was easy, and with how scraped raw he felt right now, it was exactly what he needed—what they both needed.

“Good question.” He shucked off the boxer briefs and paused. Condom. Under no circumstances was he giving either of them a reason to put this thing on pause again. “Five seconds.”

“One.” She held up a finger. “Two.”

Luke practically dived for her pack, riffling through it and dumping things to the side until he came up with a string of condoms. He ripped one open and had it rolled on by the time he stepped back through the bathroom door. Alexis had her eyes closed and head tipped back under the spray of water as she rinsed the shampoo from her hair. He was almost—almost—reluctant to step in and ruin the look of peace on her face.

Then she opened her eyes and held out her hand, silently commanding him to get the hell in there. My pleasure, darlin’. He took her hand and stepped into the spray of water, using the move to pull her into his arms. She pressed against the front of his body and turned them around until he was backed against the chilled tile. Then she went onto her tiptoes and kissed him, her tongue darting into his mouth. He groaned against her lips and palmed her ass, bringing her flush against the hard length of his cock.

“Take me, Luke.”

As if he planned on doing anything else. He turned her around and reached between her thighs and stroked her, fucking her slowly with his finger, making both of them wait for what they really wanted. “You want me here.” He added a second finger, nearly moaning when she clenched around him.

“I want you right there.” She spread her legs a little more and leaned back against his chest, giving him full access to her body. “I want you so deep, I won’t know where I end and you begin.” She gasped when he cupped her breast and rolled her nipple between his fingers. “I want you to make me come.”

“Your wish is my command.” He briefly considered and discarded pinning her against the shower wall. With his bum knee, it was an emergency room visit just waiting to happen.

Instead, he maneuvered her to the back of the shower, pressing a hand between her shoulder blades until she bent over and braced herself on the wall. He stroked her again, using his fingers to spread her wetness up and around her clit. She moaned, arching back into him, tilting her hips to offer herself. “Hold still, darlin’.”

He positioned his cock at her entrance and pushed inside with one smooth movement. They both froze, though her body shook beneath his hands. Luke gritted his teeth and forced himself to hold still, even though he needed to thrust, to pound into her.

But then she pulled away and shoved herself against him. “More. I need more.”

He gripped her hips, keeping her from doing that again. “Darlin’—”

“Now, Luke.”

This time, when she pushed back, he met her halfway. He tightened his hold on her hips, helping her move against him, filling her completely. “You love this, don’t you? You love the way I fuck you.”

“Yes. Oh my God, yes.”

“Touch yourself. Reach between your legs and rub your clit for me.” When she obeyed, a shudder racked her body and she tightened around him. “That’s right. Just like you like it.”

“Harder.”

He shoved into her hard enough to have her scrambling for purchase on the tile wall. “Like this. This is what you want.”

“Oh, yes.” Her head dropped forward, her hair parting to reveal the long line of her back. As much as he wanted to lick his way down her spine, he was too focused on holding off long enough to push her over the edge.

Changing his angle, he pulled her up, bending her backward to claim a kiss. While his tongue thrust against hers, he pushed her hand out of the way and stroked her clit. “I’m the only one allowed to make you come, darlin’. Me and no one else.” He rolled his hips, pushing deeper. “Tell me.”

Her breath sobbed out. “You, Luke. You’re the only one who makes me come like this.”

“Don’t you dare forget it.” The possessive feeling had no place here, but he couldn’t shake it. Especially when she cried out his name as she came. How the hell was he supposed to keep his distance with her milking his cock like this?

The answer was swept away as his orgasm exploded through him. He held her tightly enough to bruise as the last of his strength went out of his legs. They wobbled, but Alexis caught the wall and steadied them. “Wow.”

Wow was right. He wasn’t sure there were words to describe what they’d just done—or the fact that he wanted it again as soon as possible. It didn’t make any sense. He’d had relationships in the past, but he’d never felt this level of sheer… Christ, he didn’t know what to call it. Lust. Desire. Need.

He pressed a kiss to the back of her neck and straightened. Words rose, words he didn’t know what to do with. Alexis kept giving him intriguing glimpses of a woman who wasn’t anything like he’d expected. He didn’t know how he was supposed to respond. Or if he even should.

She’ll never forgive me if she found out why I’m really here.

Now wasn’t the time or place for those thoughts, so he put them out of his head and got rid of the condom. By the time Alexis turned around, he’d rinsed off. She gave him a dazed smile. “Wow again.”

He wanted to stay in the shower, soap up his hands, and use washing her as an excuse to explore her body. Because he wanted it so desperately, he kissed her and stepped back. But that didn’t stop six treacherous words from slipping free. “I can’t get enough of you.”

This thing already had an expiration date, even if she didn’t find out that her sister and friends had sent him over here to look after her. A few days. A week, maybe a little more. As long as it took for her to find what she was looking for and go back to her life.