Page 17 of Stars and Scars

“I understand your reasons, but…do you think it’s a good idea to tell all of your millions of followers that I am about to take you to a safe house?”

I open my mouth, close it.

“I, um, I guess maybe I shouldn’t do that.”

Grayson sighs and grips the steering wheel with both hands, resting his forehead against it.

“You can film it again, but nix the part about the safe house. And keep my name out of it. Not to mention that I’m ex CIA.”

“I can definitely do that.”

I delete the original video.

“But I have to ask, what’s so bad about people knowing your name?”

Grayson’s mouth twitches, and his eyes get a distant look. I have the impression he’s trying to find the most diplomatic way to explain something he feels should be obvious.

“If the Aegis Order figures out who I am, they can doxx me. They’ll know where I trained, how long I worked for the CIA, probably what my favorite brand of breakfast cereal is. It will make it easier for them to target us.”

I feel really stupid right about now. I cover my face with my hand and groan.

“I didn’t even think about that.”

“So you see, I’ve got legitimate concerns.”

I shoot the vid again, this time only referring to Grayson as my bodyguard. Grayson seems satisfied and I post the video.

“If we’re lucky, the Order doesn’t know where you are right now, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Really? You don’t think they know where I am?”

He shrugs. So much for being reassuring. It’s hard to get a read on Grayson. Is he the realest guy in the room, or a CIA phony? Some of my followers have said things about the CIA. They say the CIA teaches its people to lie for a living. So you can never trust one of them.

Jaxon clearly trusts Grayson, though. And I trust Jaxon, because of the outstanding reputation of his security firm. He has word-of-mouth endorsements from some of the heaviest hitters in Hollywood.

So, I should trust Grayson. I want to trust him. But there’s something else troubling me. It’s the way my breath catches in my throat when he looks at me. Not to mention how my skin tingles whenever he’s near.

I glance over at him as we roll down the highway. His tanned, toned arms flex as he shifts the jeep into a higher gear. A bit of stubble is starting to show on his ruggedly handsome face. His eyes are currently hidden behind a pair of mirrored shades, making Grayson seem more enigmatic than ever.

In so many ways, we’re exact opposites. He wants to stick to the shadows, while my life is lived out in the open. I try to picture Grayson endorsing toothpaste as part of his morning routine and it makes me want to laugh.

It would be easy to dismiss Grayson as an alpha male ‘hard case’ who has no use or time for people like me. But he listened when I told him about why it’s so important for me to keep creating content. He listened, and, even better, he took me seriously.

I can’t help but feel there's more to Grayson than meets the eye. But whether that unseen quality is good or bad, I still can’t say for sure.

One thing I do know for sure, is he’s easy to look at. Some guys are hot, and they know it, and that ruins the entire effect. Grayson is hot, but either he doesn’t know, or more likely, he just doesn’t care. I wonder if he’s ever used his good looks to further a mission for the CIA?

Picturing Grayson in a tuxedo asking for his martini shaken, not stirred, makes me chuckle out loud.

Grayson glances over at me, his lips pursed into a frown.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, I just tried to picture you as James Bond.”

Grayson relaxes, which surprises me. A ghost of what might be an inkling of a smile pulls at the corners of his lips.

“I get a lot of people asking me if the spy game is like the James Bond movies.”

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