Page 13 of Ignited Heat

"Was it something you wanted to do since you were young?"

"I don't like to talk about it."

"Please let me in. That's all I ask. I want to get to know you. It’s just us here."

He sighs and looks down at his feet, but at least he starts to talk.

"Both my grandfather and father were in the military. It just seemed the right place to be. Once I was in, I liked the discipline, the training, the certainty of knowing where you were on the food chain."

"You were special ops, right?"

"Did Carlos tell you that?"

"Carlos is a vault. But I know his secrets, so it's easy for me to get information out of him."

"I didn't know that side of you."

"I'm not the goody two shoes everyone believes I am."

"I'm starting to see that."

He gives me a strange look that I can't really decipher. I hold his gaze and almost lose myself in those deep blue eyes of his. If he would only grant me a smile, I'd be happier than if I'd won a million dollars.

"What did you see in Solis, Cassie?"

That sobered me. "He was charming—acted like he cared, and I only saw what I wanted to. Didn't hurt that he was bringing tons of money to our family business."

"When did he start getting violent?"

"Not—not until I dumped him. That night that he burned me was the first time I saw a truly dark side of him."

"I got you the gun."

"You did?"

He nods and just looks at the TV as if he's watching the show, which I know he's not.

"Thank you, Jason."

"We'll start practicing tomorrow."

His tone indicates that the conversation is over. I guess he has reached his quota of words for the day. So, I resign myself to just having his company. After thirty minutes or so, I start nodding off and place my head on his shoulder. He doesn't pull away and lets me doze on and off for about an hour then he picks me up carefully and takes me to my room.

He places me gently on the bed, and I open my eyes to see him watching me. I smile up at him and reach to touch his face, but something keeps me from doing it. It's like he's got this force field around him and he's not letting me in just yet. It's fine. I can wait. I take my hand back and lie carefully on my uninjured arm.

Jason pulls a blanket on top of me, and I close my eyes. He is my protector, and his presence makes me feel safe and a little bit loved.

"Goodnight." He whispers, and then he leaves the room, gently closing the door after him.

I had hoped to fall asleep right away, but I can't. I keep wondering if falling in love with a dangerous man like Jason isn't doing the exact same thing I did with Marcos Solis—except Jason would never hurt me. I ask myself if one can really love a cold-blooded killer. Is he still a mercenary? Can I live with myself if my partner in life is living a life of sin?

The night grows long between my overactive imagination and the discomfort all over my body. My bruises are still healing, and I can't lie on my left side because that arm is in a sling. In the early morning hours I give up and go sit in the rocking chair that is in the bedroom. Finally, I doze off, but Jason is a freaking morning person, so I hear knocking on my door.

"Come in."

"I've got breakfast ready for when you're up to it."

"Thanks, I'll be there in a minute."

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