“What is it?” he mumbled, his head thick with sleep. The sun was up and it was already starting to affect him. After he’d left the main house, he’d decided to bunk down on the couch in his small office at the back of the stable for the day. He hadn’t expected anyone to bother him back here.
“It’s Mr. Ji-Su. He left the ranch.”
That woke him. His eyes opened fully and he sat up. “By himself?”
“Yes. And the gate guard said he seemed like something was wrong but he was trying to hide it.”
“How long ago did he leave?”
“Twenty minutes or so. The guard tried to call you—.”
“But I don’t have my phone on me.” It was in his office and he hadn’t stopped to pick it up when he left the house.
“We searched but no one could find you until I thought to look back here.”
“Damnit,” Raul cursed. He thanked Shelly before he swiftly returned to the house to retrieve his phone. As soon as he had it in hand, he sent a text message to Ji-Su.Where are you? He didn’t have to wait long for a reply. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an answer to his question.
I knew that I wasn’t enough for you.
Raul stared at the words on his phone screen. What the hell did that mean? He blew out a frustrated breath. Fuck texting. He wasn’t going to get real answers without speaking to Ji-Su directly. He pressed the button to call his phone instead. The phone rang twice then clicked when the call connected.
“Hello, Raul.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m safe. Don’t worry, you won’t have to rescue me from the side of the highway again.”
“I didn’t think that I would. I only want to know where you are.”
“I wanted some time to myself to think after last night.”
“Okay, I understand that. But I would feel better if I knew where you were.”
Ji-Su didn’t answer. Raul could hear the light sound of his breathing. But he couldn’t hear his heartbeat to help him understand what he was feeling.
“You know I can have your phone pinged.” Raul knew that would be invasive. But he didn’t fuck around when it came to Ji-Su’s safety.
“I know.”
“I’d rather you tell me where you are.”
A soft sigh came over the line before Ji-Su answered.
“I’m at the Willow Bend Hotel.”
Again, Raul was relieved. The Willow Bend Hotel wasn’t far and it was a safe, upscale establishment.
“Thank you for telling me. Can I come to you?” He paused and glanced at the window where yellow sunlight framed the edges of the blinds. His jaw clenched with frustration. He wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon. “Once the sun sets. Just to talk.”
“You won’t try to drag me out of here?”
“I will never treat you that way Ji-Su. The only way you’ll leave that hotel is if you want to. But if you plan on staying, I’m going to station some guards there—simply for my piece of mind.”
“You’re always protective of me.”
Raul frowned. Ji-Su didn’t sound happy about that. “Is being protective a bad thing?”
“I didn’t think it was.”