Chapter 6

Tommy

He scanned Ruby's laptop for movie times and tried not to think about her naked in the shower upstairs. The screen lit up the kitchen as he scooted his chair closer to the table. When a muffled noise came from upstairs, he rose. It almost sounded like a thud. Something about it seemed off. Unease zinged through him.

He strode toward the steps. "Ruby, you okay?"

Another thump.

Before he took his next breath, he sprinted up the stairs. "Ruby!"

Steam from the shower rolled out from underneath the bathroom door.

"Ruby, open the door."

No response.

"Open this damn door now, or I'll bust it to splinters." He turned the handle... locked.

The unsettling sound of the shower running coupled with no response from Ruby made his heart crawl into his throat. He kicked four times until his foot jammed right through the wood, creating a hole large enough to slip his hand inside and unlock it.

Inside, humid air hit him, and he waved at the steam, straining for a glimpse of her. Ignoring the scalding water, he shut off the valve. No Ruby.

He spun back to the door. A piece of metal flashed, but he ducked just in time as a silver baseball bat smashed into the shower tile behind him. The tightness in his chest eased when he realized Ruby clutched the bat.

"Are you trying to kill me today?" he asked. First he dodged a bullet for her, then the pepper spray, and now she tried to smash his head in.

"Not yet. Are you still hoping to scare me?" Her hair was drenched and making a trail over her shoulder. A towel draped around her torso.

"Why would I do... wait, did something happen?" Dread coiled through him. Had the pimp found them here? Was he being followed or had the guy been smart, hid and learned what was precious to Tommy even though he could never tell Ruby about his feelings. Hanging around him was too dangerous.

She rolled her eyes and held onto her towel with one hand, the other setting the bat down against the tub. "As if you didn't know. I won't fall for your traps." Her brow furrowed.

"Tell me what happened." He fought the distraction of a water droplet sliding down her chest and the fact that her towel barely covered her long legs.

"I stepped out of the shower when a shadow crossed under the door." She shrugged. "So I thought it was you and one of your obnoxious lessons... maybe about conserving water or something. I flipped the hot water on full force so it would be difficult for you hear or see me."

"Good thinking about the water." He ran a hand through his hair. Maybe she was imagining things. He would have known if someone else was in the house. "But I didn't come up here until you hollered something."

Then I - "

Downstairs, a door slammed.

Son of a... Tommy raced toward the sound. The front door's rug was askew. Someone had been here, and he'd had no idea. Worse, if he hadn't come over tonight, the guy would have found Ruby alone. How long had the guy been in her house? Was the shot a misfire on purpose? A warning? His stomach turned.

Tommy searched the front and backyards for the intruder. Only a group of teens down the street who were oblivious to anything except how high they could jump before wiping out on a makeshift skateboard ramp;. When he approached them and queried about who had been hanging around the street, they stated they hadn't seen anyone. A sweep around Ruby's neighbors revealed nothing.

Inside, Tommy checked for points of entry.

"I've already checked everything inside." Her voice was a bit shaky as she typed away at the laptop in the kitchen. "Upstairs window, he broke it get in. Probably used a blanket or something to muffle the sound."

"Alright, I'll just double check things." Damn it! His life was too dangerous to have Ruby involved with him.

None of the doors showed any force, but when he opened Crystal's bedroom on the second floor, the window was open, the curtain fluttering in the wind. Stalking over to close it, his feet crunched on glass.

The criminal had broken the window, probably when Ruby wasn't here, and waited. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of an assassin biding his time for Ruby to be the most vulnerable. If he hadn't been here, they guy might have hurt her, or worse.

That's it. He was ordering a house alarm. He'd crash in her sister's vacant bedroom until they found this hired killer and he convinced the assassin into an early retirement then Tommy would leave her alone. She'd be safer that way. Right now, she was already a target.

After he called a window repair service and his alarm company for appointments tomorrow morning, Tommy jogged downstairs for a vacuum to clean up the glass.

"What are you doing?" Ruby, dressed in jeans tight enough to see her thong outline, thigh high boots, and a thin emerald sweater asked as she rose from the laptop.

"Cleaning the glass from the busted window upstairs so you don't cut your foot and bleed to death." Tonight he'd sleep in Crystal's empty bedroom with the door open in case Ruby needed him. Or if the hitman returned.

"No." Her hands fisted on her lap.

"What do you mean, no? It's a hazard and it'll just take me a bit to clean it up." He opened the pantry looking for the vacuum. Where would the woman keep it? "The window and alarm company will be here in the morning. I'll stay the night and - "

"I can take care of myself." Her chin rose. "I contacted a company online to come fix the window."

Even though he knew that, he could never live with himself if something happened to her. It almost had with Paul when he turned on them and threatened her.

"Yes, you can. The Uncles have tasked me with protecting you." When she shook her head, he rambled on. "Just until they return or we catch this assassin. Make sure he's working with Westridge, and if so, convince his slimeball boss never to try this again."

"I'm just freaking out that someone was in my house. How long was he here? Crystal and I never had guns, but maybe I should buy one."

"Hey now." He wrapped her in a hug and rubbed her back. Didn't need her freaking out until they knew for sure who it was. "Burglaries happen all the time. Maybe it was some kid and we spooked him. We don't know it was the - "

"The killer." Her voice shook.

If she panicked, she might mess up. He didn't need her to think about nearly getting killed...twice. "You just need to relax. What about the Bond movie we were going to?"

"Movie? There was a possible killer in my house, and you're asking about the movies? "We shouldn't g - "

"No, we are going. You haven't had a date in months." A public place, yes that would be good. He'd scope out the place and take his knife.

She flipped her hair away from her eyes. "So what? Your invite is the closest thing to a date I might get in god knows how long." Her foot tapped, but he didn't think she realized it.

"Right. You've lived for decades hiding from Westridge and his Board of Director conspirators. No way should you give up your life now or living again. We are going to the movies, damn it. Worry about all of this later."

#

"Stop searching the crowd every five seconds." Ruby frowned as she took the bag of popcorn from him at the concession stand. "Unless the guy is a trained assassin, which I doubt since he's botched up twice now, he won't strike in a crowd."

"That kind of belief is what's gotten you soft these last few months." He'd made a promise to keep Ruby and Crystal alive years ago. Damn it all if he'd lose now when they'd so recently beat Westridge. Resolve this threat to Ruby, then stay the hell away from her. Then he wouldn't have to worry about his messes spilling over onto her. After paying for the popcorn and two beers, he carried their drinks toward the movie theater seven.

"No, I'm tired of looking at everyone as a suspect." A look of pain or worry creased her brow. "Tomorrow we'll worry about everything. Just let me enjoy tonight, okay?"

He grumbled. Too bad she didn't want to discuss a stranger in her house. While she freshened up in the ladies' room, he sent a text message to George and Gustin explaining what happened at Crystal's, that he thought it might be Westridge or the pimp he angered. When Ruby and he returned to her house after the movie, he would clean up the glass. He called Kade and asked for a sweep of the outside and inside of the house for fingerprints or anything that might help them catch this creep. Find out if it was from Westridge or his dealings.

When she'd dated Paul, he'd stepped back from Gustin's order of guarding the sisters. Paul was a cop and for Ruby's sake, he had stayed away and not said anything. Now, after Paul ditching Ruby for Westridge's promises, Tommy wished he'd hung around. His gut had told him the guy wasn't trustworthy. No one else had doubted Paul with his suits and pressed ties. His impeccable mannerisms. But something underneath the surface had bothered Tommy.

Always trust my instinct. And right now, it was screaming at him to stay with Ruby no matter what until they found this shooter and dealt with him.

First, he had to convince her to think of him more than a trainer and bossy protector. Maybe her idea of going to the movies despite all this was one small thing he could do for her. Get her mind off her troubles and have a good time.

The house lights dimmed as he scooped out a handful of the popcorn.

"Hey, leave me some!" Ruby frowned.

He shrugged. "I told you we needed the bucket."

In response, she threw a kernel at him then laughed when he spilled half his popcorn trying to catch it. Ah ha, I made her smile.

"Shh...the movie is starting." Ruby handed him the bag and settled into her seat.

He placed an arm along the back of her chair. She didn't seem to mind but scooted a little closer to reach the popcorn and licked her lips. Hmmm...those lips and mouth had been so soft and inviting this morning.

It was all he thought about besides wringing the neck of the guy who tried to harm her. Well, and her wet and draped in the towel while she berated him about scaring her, before they both realized it was someone else in the house.

His fists clenched. He should have been paying more attention. His guard was slacking all because he'd rushed into a situation to rescue Joseph's daughter and it was costing him now.

"If you don't want me to have any more, just say so." Her voice was playful.

"What?" He glanced down at the crumbled bag of popcorn in his fist. "Sorry. I'm done you can have the rest."

She took it and peeked inside, then glanced back at the screen. "Car chases do it for ya?"

He chuckled. No, you do. "Sorry. Just got caught up in the movie." And who is after you and why. Still, she didn't say anything about his arm over the back of her seat. Progress.

After the movie, Ruby strolled beside him to his truck.

"Want to grab a bite before I take you home?" And invite myself to spend the night on your couch so no one breaks in without me stomping his ass. When Westridge had been arrested, he thought this guilt of paying George back for giving him a place to stay and helping him would ease. It didn't. It only got worse that he wasn't doing enough.

She tucked a stray red strand behind her ear. "No thanks. It's really too late to eat a full meal."

At his car, she paused when he held the door open for her. "Did you even like the movie?" She cocked her head to the side.

"Yeah. Why?" His ex-girlfriend Donna asked the same thing once. He should have had the woman's background checked. Learned that the hard way with her. He shivered. God she'd been a nasty one to detangle himself from.

"Cause you had the meanest scowl on your face the entire time."