“Wow,” I say, because men love a damsel in distress. He’s nothing, I want to say. Nothing but a beaten dog. “That’s terrifying. Do you think you’ll catch him soon?”

“I’m certain we will. Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.” He passes me my glass of wine, and his fingertips touch mine with a jolt.

“Is that what your text was about?” I sit down at his kitchen table. “Why you needed to see me?”

He blushes, and when he chooses a seat, it’s the one right next to me, not the one across the table. That’s a good sign. “It might not have been the only reason.” Our thighs are aligned. It’s like we’re on a date at the movies.

“Thanks for looking out for me, Sully. You’re the one I trust most.”

He frowns for an instant. “I still think you have to report the Eli attack,” he says. “You can’t have men like him coming to your home. It’s a police matter.”

“I can’t. I told you—Ruth. She’s vulnerable.”

“But reporting it will help you and Ruth. It’ll keep everyone protected.”

I reach across and take his hand, interlace my fingers with his. Warmth floods me, as if he’s a liquid I’m sinking into. Last time I was here, it began like this, too. Did Eli hurt you? Are you okay? Do you feel unsafe? Sully’s brow was so worried, his hands reaching out for me, and I’d nodded, even though I didn’t feel unsafe. Because I wasn’t. But that’s the thing about Sully: he’s always looking for someone to rescue. He’s a good guy. His every move is predictable. And I knew he wanted to take things further, but I couldn’t let that happen. Not then. Not when it wasn’t necessary. Now it is.

Holding his hand, I feel a sense of rightness. It’s like a transfer of energy, a download of pieces that fit. Everything is coming together. I trace my thumb over ridges of his knuckles, lean a little into him.

“How come you’re here?” he asks. “If it isn’t about Eli, what did you need to tell me?” He’s holding his breath, hopeful.

I need to be careful; this answer is trip-wire-loaded.

“It is about Eli, though,” I say. “I mean, I haven’t seen him again, but I’ve found out why he’s in town. Why he came to the loft, why he attacked me.”

“He wasn’t looking for Ruth and the baby?”

I give him my widest little-girl eyes. “He’s looking for drugs and money that Ruth took.”

Sully sits up straighter. “What drugs?”

“His and Ruth’s drugs.”

“What?”