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eyes. He’d toss her over his shoulder and drag her to his house if he needed to. There was no way in hell she was staying here alone tonight.
    “Ellie.” His demeanor must’ve proven resistance was futile.
    She nodded and turned toward her bedroom. Glancing over her shoulder, she gave him a determined look. “Only for tonight, Trey.”
    He breathed a sigh of relief when she walked away. She might be beaten, but she wasn’t down.
    Shawn placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Your friend chose a shitty place to live.”
    “I know,” Trey said. “I intend to see that she finds somewhere safer. And soon.”
    “That’d be a good call. Gotta admit I’m looking forward to watching you chase your own tail trying to impress a woman for once. Landing the ladies has always been too easy for you. Looks to me like this one’s gonna be a little tougher to convince.”
    “Very funny,” Trey mumbled, wishing there wasn’t so much truth in Shawn’s words.
    There was an uncomfortable, unfamiliar voice inside his head demanding he storm upstairs, pack up every possession she had, and drag her to his place forever, so he could keep her safe, protected, happy.
    He shut the voice down. Ellie was hell-bent on a platonic friendship and there was no point in torturing himself, hoping for something he couldn’t have.
    Shawn said his goodbyes as Ellie walked into the living room with a small overnight bag.
    “A couple of the cops boarded up the window in the basement for you. They said the place should be plenty secure once we lock it behind us. Shawn said he’d make sure a patrol car drives by every hour tonight just to be sure.”
    She nodded but didn’t speak. Her silence was unnerving.
    Trey led her to the car and they didn’t talk as he drove them to his house. Trey was lost in thought, fighting like mad to forget how badly this night could have turned out. He clenched the steering wheel tighter, trying to still his shaking hands. The adrenaline was quickly giving way to exhaustion.
    Ellie broke the quiet as they pulled into his driveway. “I just realized I’ve never seen your home either.”
    He grinned. “Lots of firsts tonight.”
    She nodded and followed him into his house.
    “Nice place,” she said, looking around.
    “It’s Jamie’s house,” he confessed. “I took it on as a rental when he moved in with Grace. Beat the hell out of sharing a townhouse with two other guys.”
    “It’s very cozy. I like the pictures. My family’s home burned down when I was sixteen. We lost everything. I think I miss the photographs the most.”
    “I’m sorry. That must’ve been tough.”
    She shrugged. “My family wasn’t home at the time and I guess when all is said and done, the most important thing was we were alive.”
    She walked around his living room, studying the pictures of his family and friends. Briefly he told her who everyone was. He could tell she was on edge.
    “My bedroom is at the top the stairs. The bathroom adjoins it. Make yourself at home.”
    She turned to look at him, wariness in her gaze.
    He pointed to the couch. “I’m sleeping here.”
    He thought she’d be relieved by his words, but she didn’t respond. She’d been still as a statue since discovering the stranger in her home and he was starting to seriously worry about her. He prayed she hadn’t considered what could have happened beyond the man merely robbing her. He certainly didn’t plan to tell her about the switchblade the cops had discovered.
    “Ellie. Are you okay?”
    She nodded stiffly. “Fine. I don’t mind sleeping on the couch. I don’t like the idea of you—”
    He cut her off. “The couch is mine.”
    She shrugged and headed up the stairs. He grabbed a blanket from the end of the couch and unfolded it. As he lay there, he followed Ellie’s progress, listening as she walked from the bathroom to the bedroom, climbing into his bed. For several minutes, the quiet was absolute.
    Then he heard it. A soft cry.
    His