Page 123 of Risky Desires

“It was just a situation that went bad.”

“Really? That’s it?”

The weight of my secret was a brick in my belly. I turned to her. “I can’t elaborate.”

“Yeah, you can.” Her tone elevated.

A warm breeze slapped me in the face like Wesley’s ghost, warning me to shut the fuck up.

I paused next to a coconut palm.

Maybe I should make up a story. No, I would never lie to her. But she’s going to hate my reason.

“I can’t talk about some aspects of my job.”

The weight of her disappointment hung between us. She crossed her arms defensively over her chest. “Don’t you trust me?”

“Yes. Absolutely, and you need to trust me. I can’t tell you, for your own safety.”

Indiana’s glare rivaled the glare Nikki Bolton gave me just before she slit Ebony’s throat.

“Well, that’s just great.” Indiana shoved past me and jumped down a steep incline.

I called after her, “Indy, I’m sorry.”

“Save it, Kingsley.” Her long hair danced behind her as she marched down the hill like a machine.

“Damn it!” I scrambled after her.

The ground crumbled beneath my scuba booties, and I had no idea how she was moving so fast.

“Fuck off, Kingsley.” She cut through the thick underbrush like a machete.

The urge to spill every truth to her festered inside me, but fear clamped my throat. Fear and guilt over my fucked-up mistake.

Indiana’s retreating figure became a blur of olive skin and long legs in the distance. Each step she made wedged a chasm between us that threatened to crack me in two.

The sun pierced through the canopy above and the fierce heat smothered me. My lungs burned. My legs ached. My fucking brain screamed for the brutal thoughts to stop.

The ground leveled out, and I forced my legs to move faster. The vegetation stopped so abruptly that I stumbled onto the beach and fell to my hands and knees.

Indiana stood at the ocean’s edge with her hands on her hips. Every ounce of her sexy body oozed anger.

I dusted my hands on my legs as I marched to her.

“Damn it, Indy, listen to me!” I grabbed her arm, spinning her toward me. “I’m protecting you. That’s why I can’t tell you.”

Her eyes blazed as she jerked free. “I don’t need your protection. Or your lies.”

“I’m not lying.” The words were like glass shards in my mouth. “I’m trying to keep you safe.”

“From what? You?” She released a hollow laugh. “I’ve been taking care of myself since I was eleven, remember?”

“I know you have, and you’re incredible and brave.”

The pain in her expression was so tangible I felt it in my chest.

“Please, trust me.” I reached for her.

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