Chapter 4 - Safe Harbor
The ride in Nathaniel’s armored black sedan was spent in total silence. Rain began to patter against the reinforced glass windows as they navigated through the dark streets of Providence. Brutus sat on the floorboard between Wren and Nathaniel, his giant head resting heavily on Wren’s lap. She absentmindedly stroked the dog’s velvet ears, finding comfort in his steady warmth.
Instead of driving to her cramped apartment in the lower-rent district, the car pulled up to a gated estate sitting high on the cliffs of Newport, overlooking the churning Atlantic Ocean. High stone walls surrounded the perimeter, patrolled by discrete security personnel.
"This isn't my house," Wren said, staring at the towering stone mansion.
"Your apartment is no longer secure," Nathaniel said as the iron gates swung open smoothly. "Until I resolve the situation with my uncle, you will stay here. My housekeeper, Mrs. Gable, will prepare a guest room for you."
"Nathaniel, I can't just abandon my life!" Wren protested, turning to face him. "I have shifts to cover! I have to visit my mother at the hospital tomorrow morning!"
"Your shifts at the restaurant are taken care of—I bought the building twenty minutes ago," Nathaniel said calmly. Wren gasped, staring at him in disbelief. "And as for your mother, she is being transferred tonight to the private wing of Rhode Island Hospital under the care of the chief of cardiology. All expenses paid."
Wren sat stunned. The sheer efficiency and power of the man left her speechless. "You can't just buy my life, Nathaniel!"
"I am not buying your life, Wren. I am protecting it," he said, his eyes locking onto hers with a fiercely protective intensity. "My uncle plays dirty. If he realizes you mean anything to me, he will use you as leverage. I will not allow that to happen."
"Why?" Wren asked, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Why do I mean anything to you? You don't even know me."
Nathaniel reached out, his long fingers gently brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face. His touch was surprisingly soft, sending a shiver through her entire body.
"Three years ago, when my dog was shot, I was bleeding out in the back of that SUV," Nathaniel revealed quietly. "I watched through the tinted window as you took Brutus inside. You were crying because you were scared, but your hands never shook while you saved his life. In my world, people only care about what you can do for them. You cared about a dying animal without knowing who owned it. I've thought about that night for three years, Wren."
May you like
Wren stared at him, the harsh light of the dashboard illuminating the raw sincerity in his dark eyes. The terrifying mob boss melted away, leaving behind a man carrying a heavy, lonely burden.
"Come inside," Nathaniel said softly. "You're safe here."
