A Promise to Protect. Liz Johnson

her arms around her stomach instead. “Nothing serious.”

      She wasn’t telling the whole truth. He could read that like a book, too. And for some reason, being questioned about a boyfriend made her uncomfortable. Bad breakup? No, she’d admit to that—she wouldn’t hold back if there was a chance her ex was involved. So what was the problem?

      He wanted to question her further, but she seemed so tense that he decided to let it drop. For now.

      Swallowing back his questions and pushing all thoughts of Ashley’s love life out of his mind, he navigated their conversation back on course. “So if it is related to one of the women at the house, who do you think it might be?”

      “That’s the problem—I think it might be related to a girl who’s not in the house anymore. She’s the only one whose background is a mystery.”

      “She wouldn’t tell you?”

      “She wouldn’t say much more than her name—Joy. And she promised she was eighteen, but she looked like she was barely sixteen.” Lines appeared on Ashley’s face, making her look much older than her years. She couldn’t be much more than twenty-five, but the pain in her eyes added at least ten years.

      “How did she end up at Lil’s?”

      Ashley motioned to the next street, indicating that he should turn there. And just as she’d said, it was a street of ordinary two-story houses all with white porches and the occasional porch swing. All they needed were white picket fences to complete his childhood daydream of the perfect home.

      “Miranda brought her about a week ago. She said she didn’t know the girl very well, but she knew Joy needed help.”

      Ashley pointed at a yellow house, and he pulled into an open spot at the curb adjacent to the green lawn.

      “It must have been bad,” she continued.

      He turned the key in the ignition, twisting toward her. “What?”

      Ashley turned toward the house and opened the door before responding. “Whatever Joy went through. Whoever she’s running from did a number on her, and she wouldn’t talk about it. At all.”

      He hurried around the hood of the truck, heat still rising from it, to meet her at the foot of the path leading up to the front steps.

      After several seconds of silence, he held out his hand, motioning her to take the lead, but she shook her head. “We need to figure out what we’re going to tell everyone.”

      Matt frowned. “Tell them about what?”

      “About why you’re here.”

      Matt still didn’t follow. His confusion must have been clear on his face, because Ashley continued, “The women inside that house trust me to keep them safe. I can’t just bring a strange—” her eyes dropped to his tennis shoes then moved all the way back up to the top of his hair “—man into their haven.”

      “Then we’ll explain to them that I’m here for their protection.”

      Her voice dropped to a whisper without any change in conviction. “And what? Tell them that I’m being threatened? That’s not going to make them feel secure, and security is essential for the residents of Lil’s Place.”

      Matt rubbed his palms across the legs of his jeans. “I don’t like this any more than you, but you’re in danger. You’re all in danger. Until we nail this guy, every woman inside that house is a potential target. Even if this guy is only after you, I’d imagine everyone in town knows that hurting one of your girls is the best way to hurt you. So you and I need to make sure that your home and its residents are safe. We can keep them from becoming prey.”

      “But—”

      “I’m going to check the windows to make sure they’re locked and that the locks work. I’m going to look at the doors to make sure they’re sturdy. And then I’m going to go back to my hotel.” The urge to validate his statements with physical contact struck, and he went with it, resting his hand on her upper arm.

      He could have wrapped his fingers all the way around her biceps if he’d tried. She really was much smaller than she came across, all gumption and guts.

      Her eyes turned hard and then softer, and he’d have given anything to be able to read her mind. Instead he prayed that she’d consent. This was the first step to protecting Ashley. The first step to finding the man behind the notes.

      Finally she nodded. “All right. But you’ll stay by me the whole time.”

      He’d do whatever it took to find the creep responsible. And staying by Ashley’s side while he was at it? He’d never had a sweeter assignment.

      * * *

      As they stepped from the dim front step into the bright foyer, Ashley worried on her bottom lip. Had she done the right thing letting Matt into Lil’s? Would he frighten women already traumatized by men they’d trusted?

      On the verge of changing her mind, she ran into Benita, a young mom. “Ashley! You have to see—” Her voice died on her lips as she spied Matt, still standing behind Ashley.

      Should she introduce Matt or demand to know what had sent Benita into such a frenzy? Deciding Matt could wait, she stepped directly in front of the woman and grabbed her hands. “What’s going on? What’s happened?”

      Benita’s gaze swept back to Ashley’s face. “It’s not that important.”

      “Of course it is. What’s wrong?”

      Matching pink spots appeared on her olive cheeks. “It’s really nothing...I just finished knitting Julio’s sweater.”

      Ashley patted Benita’s hands, her voice rising. “I’d love to see it! But first—” she nodded behind her “—this is my friend Matt.”

      Suddenly his arm snaked around her, hand outstretched to Benita, whose wide, unblinking eyes never left Matt’s face. Ashley twisted to get a better view of him, and when she did, her breath caught in her throat. All traces of determination had vanished. In its place was a smile so gentle and serene that she’d have let him into her home without question.

      And Benita responded to it. Unclenching her fists, she slipped her hand into his much larger one. “Matt Waterstone, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

      Caution and trust battled across Benita’s face before she bowed her head and murmured an unintelligible response. When she lifted her head, her smile reached the whole way across her face.

      “Did you say you’d finished knitting a sweater?” Matt continued talking, keeping her between him and Benita. “Could we see it?”

      Benita’s eyes shone with something akin to pride. Something that had been missing since her arrival. She motioned for them to follow her into the living room, where a boy and two girls played on the carpet.

      All three looked up from their game as the adults walked in, and Ashley made quick introductions, pointing out and naming each of the children. “Julio, Greta, Sara, this is my friend Matt.”

      Again he offered that smile. The one that belied that he was a warrior, trained to do his job better than nearly anyone else on the planet. The one that made her stomach roll ever so slightly.

      Suddenly he dropped to his knees next to the children’s board game and drew even with the smallest child. “Can I join you, Greta?”

      The little girl tucked her chin in, but looked up at him through enormous blue eyes. Her bright red pigtails fell over her shoulders as her tiny fingers placed the dice into Matt’s weathered ones. He winked at the little girl and asked how to play the game just as Lil Kitrick entered, eyeing him with concern.

      With shuffling steps she approached Matt, who popped to his feet, appearing at least twice Lil’s size. “Ma’am.” He held out his hand to shake hers. “Matt Waterstone.”

      “Lillian.