Free Trouble Walks In by Sara Humphreys

wasn’t a home .
    â€œI’m fine now, Ronan.” Maddy bit her lower lip as he helped her ease onto the fluffy sofa. “Really, I’m sure you and Bowser have better things to do today than babysit me.”
    â€œNope.”
    â€œAnd you say that I’m stubborn?” Maddy scoffed audibly. “Takes one to know one, McGuire.”
    Once she was settled, Ronan lifted her leg and propped a pillow underneath it, then slipped off her sneaker and tossed it to the floor. He knelt next to her and carefully unwrapped the bandage, removed the no-longer-cold ice pack, and peeled the sock from her foot, not moving it any more than he had to.
    â€œIt’s probably sprained, but I don’t think you broke anything.” Ronan cradled her foot and inspected her ankle, trailing his fingers lightly over the swollen area. “Does that hurt?”
    He locked gazes with her, and she stilled beneath his touch. Ronan stroked the graceful arch of her foot with his thumb, and a smile curved his lips when her eyes widened slightly. Some of her wild curls had come loose from her ponytail and perfectly framed her oval-shaped face. Those brilliant icy-blue eyes glittered at him, but unmistakable heat shimmered beneath the surface and reminded him of their kiss.
    God, she was beautiful.
    â€œN-no.” Maddy shook her head quickly and tore her gaze from his. “It’s fine.”
    Why did she insist on being so damn independent all the time? What was so wrong with taking help from him—or anyone else, for that matter? Jordan had warned him that Maddy would push him away and insist she was fine on her own. That was exactly what she had been doing. But he wasn’t backing down.
    â€œStay put. I’ll get some ice for that ankle and pop this in the freezer,” he said, holding up the soggy ice pack. “Most of the swelling is down, so you’ll probably be back to normal in a day or two.”
    Ronan unhooked Bowser’s leash, snapped his fingers, and pointed to the floor next to Maddy. Within seconds, his partner lay dutifully by her side, his head up and his alert gaze fixed on her.
    â€œLooks like I don’t have any choice,” she said through a nervous laugh. “He looks pretty serious, McGuire. Is he going to freak out if I try to get up?”
    â€œNah.” Ronan winked. “But he might lick you to death. And besides, you’re not gonna get up, because you are going to listen to me. I am a cop, after all, and you’re supposed to obey the law.”
    With Maddy’s sweet laughter drifting in the air behind him, Ronan headed toward the kitchen. The open floor plan of the apartment made it easy to spot. It was off to the left and just past the dining table and chairs that looked as though they had never been used. If he thought the living room looked unlived in, it was nothing compared to the kitchen, where gleaming stainless-steel appliances, all top of the line, were surrounded by bright-white cabinetry. The slick marble counters were void of clutter. No crumbs. No flowers. Not even a bottle of wine or an empty glass.
    Nothing.
    He stopped for a moment and looked around at the open, unfettered space.
    No living happened in this apartment.
    He turned slowly and leaned both hands on the island that divided the kitchen from the rest of the space. Maddy was lying back on the couch with her eyes closed and gently stroking Bowser’s head.
    That’s when it hit him.
    Maddy wasn’t living in this city; she was hiding. Hiding from her grief over losing Rick and doing a damn good job of avoiding any kind of future. What better place to try to disappear? Other than him, no one here really knew her, and it was probably easy for her to simply exist, rather than live.
    But that wasn’t going to continue—not if he had anything to say about it.
    Right then and there, Ronan made a vow. Maddy McGuire was going to start living again. She was too beautiful,