Elliot (Guardian Defenders #10)

Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

M aya breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her apartment building. She leaned against Elliot as the limo driver pulled up to the curb. “Home. Finally.”

“It was a long week.” He kissed her forehead. She’d had problems with the recurring migraine and dizziness when she stood. Due to an abundance of caution, they kept her until all the symptoms resolved for twenty-four hours and made her promise she wouldn’t be alone for the next week. Elliot was happy to volunteer to keep an eye on her, and for that, she was grateful. He’d also arranged for one department head a day to come in and brief her on the status of the wind-up for the IPO. She’d been able to keep up and be involved but on a limited basis. Tanya in PR drafted a memo for the press saying Maya was in the hospital for an undisclosed personal procedure and was doing well and handling all business from there. It was exactly what was needed. She was so glad she’d been able to promote Tanya.

Elliot helped her out of the car and into the building. “Ms. Callahan, we’re so glad you’re feeling better.” Dan stood up and smiled. Tony walked across the lobby and escorted them to the elevator. “We’ve had a bit of a delay on the extra security for elevator access to your floor. The new key cards have been issued to Mr. Sawyer, but the keypad isn’t functioning yet. A chip failed, and they need to ship it in.”

“Thanks. Did they say when it would be fixed?”

“Tomorrow afternoon,” Tony said as he called the elevator down for them.

“Thank you,” she said and looked up at Elliot. “Added security?”

“Definitely.” He nodded.

“But you said …?”

“You’re safe, and I’m making sure you stay that way.” Elliot lifted an eyebrow.

She smiled at him. The feeling of being cherished was new, but during the last week, Elliot had given her that present, and she’d reveled in the experience. When the elevator opened into her apartment, she gasped. Large bouquets of flowers sat on the tables, and … “This is new?” She touched the couch, which was a large, overstuffed black leather, then noted the matching set of chairs. It complemented the white paint and framed the living room, giving it depth and warmth.

“I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t want you to come back to the same apartment.”

“Mind? No, I think it’s beautiful.” She sighed and turned to him. “What am I going to do when you have to leave?”

“We’ll talk about that in a minute. I want to show you something first.” He led her down to her bedroom and opened the door. She smiled and walked in.

Oh, wow. “How did you do this?” She turned to look at him and then spun back to her bedroom. It had been completely redone. The light blues and golds with black lacquered furniture were arranged differently, opening up the room. A beautiful, embossed wallpaper of white and gold covered the area where the red paint had been sprayed across the walls. The curtains framed the gorgeous view of the cityscape, and the bedding was opulent. “A week? You did all of this in a week?”

“I called in a few favors and had a friend help with the colors and fabrics. I would have screwed that up, believe me.” He laughed and led her to a small seating area. She sat down on the loveseat, and he kneeled in front of her. She blinked at his position.

“What are you doing?”

Elliot cleared his throat. “I’m not proposing marriage, not yet.”

She giggled nervously. “I almost had a heart attack.”

He reached for her hand with one of his, then pulled out a small box with his free hand. He flipped it open. “This is a promise ring.” Two pearls were flanked by large rubies. “The rubies are my heart. You have it. I know we started this relationship under stressful circumstances, but my heart knows what it wants. It wants you. I want you. The pearls represent the natural growth I want our relationship to experience. Natural, easy, and continuous. If you will accept it.”

Her hands flew to her face, and the tears were instantaneous. “I was so afraid I was the only one who felt it.” She reached forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. “Yes, a thousand times yes, I’ll accept it.”

He pulled her in and held her, whispering a relieved, “Thank God.” They both laughed, and she released him, wiping at her tears.

“Since I’ve met you, I’ve cried more than I ever have.”

He cupped her cheek and wiped away a tear. “Only happy tears from now on.”

“Are you going back to Colorado?” She sniffed a bit. “I’ll have to stay here for the next four months, well, six at least, but then I can travel out to see you.”

He shook his head. “I’ve asked for a transfer to the New York office. I was losing my mind with boredom waiting for assignments. Ross Stapleton has agreed to take me on and bring me up to speed on everything needed to work here.”

Her hands shook as she placed them on his hard chest. “Here? In New York?”

He nodded and smiled. “I’ll have to find an apartment.”

“No, you don’t! Stay here. Stay with me.” She leaned in and kissed him. “Don’t leave me. Don’t ever leave me.”

He kissed her but broke off the contact when it got heated. “The doctor said no physical activity for a week. We don’t want that migraine to come back.”

She sighed and leaned into him. “I don’t like that doctor. Say yes.”

He chuckled. “He’s not my favorite person at the moment either, and yes, if you’re sure,” he said as he held her.

“I’m positive. I was so afraid you’d have to leave.”

“No. I’ve finally found you. I’m holding onto you. You’re my reason.” She smiled and closed her eyes. The warmth of knowing she was cherished and loved, although he hadn’t said the words, spread through her with a certainty that lodged into every iota of her being.

Elliot’s eyes opened with a start. He listened for whatever had woken him. Maya was asleep next to him on her side, so it wasn’t her snoring. The whine of the elevator registered. He slipped out of bed and had his weapon in his hand on the way out of the bedroom. He waited with his weapon leveled on the elevator.

The door opened, and a man he didn’t recognize had a gun trained on him. The man smiled. “Sorry for the shoulder. You weren’t my target.” The man spoke in a hushed whisper.

“Who was?” Elliot asked in the same quiet tone. His finger was tight on the trigger, but his gut told him the man wouldn’t fire on him unless he fired first.

“That blonde bitch. I finally had a clear shot, and then all hell busted loose. Thank you for saving my daughter, by the way. I’m indebted.”

“Jonathan Oatem,” Elliot said the man’s name.

“I answer to many names. But not that one anymore.”

“You’re a contractor?” Elliot was putting the pieces together.

The man smiled a bit. “You could say that.”

“Or I could say a serial killer.”

“Nah, I didn’t kill those people. So many others, but not them. That’s just the police being lazy. The killer can be identified by the DNA that was left if they ever decide to run it. As I said, lazy. And the guy moved on to Florida.” Jonathan shrugged. “The cops there have him in jail, but not for what he’s done. Maybe someone will figure it out. Maybe you could help them.”

“Is that why you’re here? To get me to clear your name?”

“I don’t need anyone to do anything for me. I’m here to tell you if you hurt her, you’ll answer to me.”

Elliot glared at the man. “That will never happen. Maya is mine, and I’ll kill to protect her.”

Jonathan cocked his head. “Then I suggest we leave this meeting without offing each other.”

“That sounds like a good compromise,” Elliot said as the man pushed the button to go downstairs. “Lose that key card.”

The man’s laughter echoed through the living room. “Like that would stop me.”

The door closed, and Elliot dropped his weapon to his side. Holy hell. Well, that explained the last open loop they had in the investigation. He drew a breath and scrubbed his face with his hand. A conversation with an assassin, who happened to be his woman’s bio dad. He really hoped that would never happen again. But something told him the man would always be watching. He glanced at the elevator and smiled. That was fine by him.