Page 3 of Ignited Heat

"Then the security detail stays until you do."

The finality of his words scares me a little bit. Is he going to leave now? But he just keeps on eating as if this intense conversation never happened. I'm a little intimidated by his silence, but I have something else to get off my chest.

"Jason, thank you for helping me the other night."

He nods and keeps eating. So, I guess this was as much conversation as I'm getting from him tonight. But he surprises me with his response.

"I owe it to your brother."

Well, that just crushes my heart. So he didn't really help me for me but for his best friend. Thanks for putting me in my place, Jason Harris. Now, I'm the one eager to leave. He looks at me, and I try to avoid his gaze. My face shows everything I feel, and right now, I'm feeling low. I wait until he finishes eating, but I don't say another word.

I pack the garbage and take it with me to throw in the kitchen. I get up to leave, still trying to keep the tears from falling. He grabs my arm gently before I exit the office.

"I upset you. Why?" His concern only threatens to make those tears spill.

"It doesn't matter. I'll go get Tuck to take me back."

"I'll take you."

"That's okay, I can get Tuck."

"He's probably still eating. Let's go."

I don't want to make a big deal of it so I just let him walk me back to the restaurant. The silence between us eats at me, but at the same time, I can feel the heat emanating from his chiseled body as he walks beside me. When we get to the back of the restaurant, he grabs my hand. It feels so small in his, but his hand is definitely the hand of a protector.

"I'm sorry I upset you. You know I'm not good with words."

"I know.” I avoid his eyes. “Goodnight."

I rush inside the restaurant's kitchen and go to my mother's office, hoping it's empty at this time of night. When I go in, I see that Mama is sitting at the computer doing the accounting.

"Can I sit here with you for a bit, Mama?"

"Of course, darling."

Instead of sitting, I go to the couch at the back of the room and lie down. I don't know whether to scream or cry, and then tears start falling down my face. My mother hears my whimpers and turns to me.

"That man is an idiot."

"Wha-what? Why?"

"Maybe it's better that he doesn't know you are in love with him. Your brother Carlos idolizes him, but he's made it clear that Jason Harris is a dangerous man. I don't want that for you, Cassie, baby."

She grabs some tissues and hands them to me. My heart takes this as permission to let the tears flow, and I start crying in earnest until I fall asleep. Dangerous men surround me, but one of them I trust with everything I've got.

Chapter 2

Jason

I park my motorcycle behind the restaurant where I've invited Carlos Lee to meet me. He's the closest thing a man like me can have as a friend, and I'm thankful for his friendship. I dismount and head inside the restaurant. He waves at me from one of the booths, and I make my way towards him.

"Hey, man." He says in greeting.

We bump fists, and I sit down across from him. Carlos is four years younger than me, but we've always had a special rapport. Plus, he knows how to keep his mouth shut when it comes to my secrets.

"Why'd you want to meet here instead of at the restaurant or the club?"

"I want to talk about Cassie."

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