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bubble over. He stood between the man and Ellie who had crawled to the top of the steps. Jake genuinely felt murderous. Flashes of Ellie’s pretty face and lovely body flew through his mind. Horror and sadness at what this guy had done to Ellie made his stomach churn.
    Tyler took off down the street.
    Jake only knew he was shaking when Ellie dashed down the steps and flew into his arms.
    “Are you hurt?” He stroked her hair and held her close, rocking her a little to comfort her.
    She drew away to look up at him. “My head aches. He’d punched me in the stomach before you arrived. I feel nauseous, but what about you, did he hit you? Are you hurt?”
    Jake grinned as he shook his head. “He never got the chance to hit me. Damn it, Ellie, how could he have found you?”
    “I don’t know how he found me. I never imagined he could. I changed my number when I bought a new cell phone. I registered my car for this state, so that changed. I haven’t changed my name so maybe that’s it, but I shouldn’t have to. Thank you for helping me.”
    Jake hugged her gently. “No need for thanks. He’s a monster. How about I go with you into your place? Get a few things and come home with me for the night. What’s to stop him returning when I’ve left?”
    Ellie nodded against his chest. “Thank you. I will.”
    He ran to his car and slammed the door closed. The clunk of the central locking reached his ears as he rushed back to Ellie, hoping nothing came along to crash into his badly parked vehicle.
    Jake held her hand as she took the steps to the apartment building and used her main door key to get in. She lived on the second floor and Jake waited in her hall as she ran around picking things up. She had a duffle bag, a lap top bag, and a coat over her arm when she came to him.
    Jake took the duffle bag and the lap top bag from her. “Ready?”
    She adjusted her shoulder bag across her body and turned to take a leather jacket from the hall coat stand. “Yes, thank you.”
    She clicked the door locked behind them and they descended the flight of stairs. Jake weighed the duffle bag in his hand. It seemed heavy even to him for an overnight stay. He wondered fleetingly if maybe she wasn’t going back to that apartment in the same way she’d left her previous place.
    He unlocked the trunk of his car and put her things in there.
    On the drive to his place, Ellie sat silently staring out of the window.
    Jake didn’t want to disturb her thoughts. Dawn was making ribbons of light across the sky as he parked in his carport and looked over at Ellie.
    “I have a spare room for when friends come over. I’ll make up the bed for you.”
    He brought all her things into his apartment.
    Ellie followed him around, until, after he’d shaken a quilt out and put a clean cover on it, she smiled at him. “Thank you for this, Jake.”
    Jake spread the quilt onto the fresh sheet he’d put on the bed. He fluffed up a pillow into a clean pillowcase and popped it down. “Think nothing of it. I’m worried about you. Do you think he’ll be back?”
    Her face fell. “Who knows? I hope not.” She crumpled and sat on the end of the bed.
    Jake slipped his arm around her shoulders. “Get some rest tonight and we’ll talk about things later. It’s Sunday, so no rush to work, and there’s a great café on the end the street that does the best coffee ever.”
    Jake stepped away from her. He pushed down the urge to pick her up and cuddle her against his body. He crushed down the need to kiss her, worried any sexual advance would scare her. “Are you sure you’re okay? The door over there leads to the ensuite.” He waved a hand toward it.
    “I’m okay. Maybe bruised, but okay, thank you.” She sounded tired.
    He forced himself to the door and half out before he looked at her again. “Good night, Ellie. Wake me if you need to. If you become afraid … or need anything, water, something for the bruises…”
    She smiled softly. “Okay, good