Page 15 of The Fixer

Jake stepped closer, kneeling next to her. The proximity sent a ripple of awareness through her, but his expression wasunreadable, his focus sharp. “Because I need to know who he is to you. Cerberus wouldn’t let just anyone talk to you on a secure line. Samantha had to convince King to go against protocol. Marcus has to matter to you. There has to be something more there than just a professional relationship.”

Lyndsey hesitated, staring down at the water. “He’s my mentor. He’s been part of my life since undergrad. He guided me through grad school and into my postdoc. He’s brilliant, one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever met.”

Jake’s eyes narrowed slightly. “That’s not all, is it?”

Her breath hitched, and she turned away, biting her lip. “It’s complicated.” Jake’s silence was unnerving, forcing her to fill the space with her words. “There was a time when... we were more than just colleagues. Lovers, briefly.”

His dark eyebrows lifted, but his expression didn’t betray much. “Briefly?”

Lyndsey nodded, the words spilling out before she could second-guess herself. “I broke it off. It wasn’t anything dramatic, but I was worried it might compromise my professional reputation. He understood—at least, he said he did.”

Jake leaned back slightly, his gaze piercing. “And now?”

“Now?” Lyndsey shook her head. “Now, he’s just Marcus. A mentor, a friend. That’s all.”

Jake studied her for a long moment, the air between them heavy with unspoken intensity.

“You trust him?”

“Yes,” she said firmly, meeting his gaze. “Completely.”

“And yet,” Jake said, his voice dropping to a lower, almost dangerous tone, “you didn’t tell me about your history with him until I asked.”

Heat rose to her cheeks, and she looked away. “I didn’t think it was relevant.”

“It’s relevant if it affects your safety,” Jake said, his jaw tightening. “And if someone in your past has motives you might not see, it’s relevant.”

Lyndsey’s head snapped back toward him, her eyes flashing. “Marcus would never hurt me.”

“Maybe not intentionally,” Jake allowed. “But people do desperate things when their backs are against the wall.”

The suggestion hit her like a slap. “You don’t know him.”

“I don’t have to. I know human nature,” Jake countered, his voice firm but not unkind. “And I know how easy it is to let your guard down with someone you think you can trust.”

Lyndsey’s breath came fast, her emotions warring inside her. Anger, fear, and something she didn’t want to name—not now, not with him so close. “Why do you care?” she demanded, her voice rising. “Why are you so interested in my past?”

Jake’s lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes locking onto hers. “Because it’s my job to keep you alive, and I can’t do that if you’re keeping secrets.”

The intensity in his gaze made her pulse quicken, and she hated how vulnerable she felt under his scrutiny. “You don’t understand,” she said, her voice quieter now. “Marcus has always been the one person who believed in me, who pushed me to be better. Whatever we had romantically, it’s over. It’s been over for years.”

“And you’re the one who broke it off?”

“Yes, but he agreed. There was no drama involved. We both agreed.”

Jake didn’t respond immediately, his expression unreadable as he stood. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost a growl. “Just remember—whoever you trust, they’re not the one standing here, risking their life to protect you. That’s me.”

Lyndsey stared at him, her heart pounding. “I didn’t ask you to.”

“No,” Jake said, stepping closer, his presence overwhelming. “But I’m here anyway. And I’m not going anywhere until this is over.”

The words hung between them, heavy and charged. Lyndsey wanted to look away, to break the moment, but she couldn’t. Jake’s gaze held her in place, a silent challenge she wasn’t sure she was ready to meet.

Finally, he exhaled, stepping back and running a hand through his hair. “We should probably get you back inside, Lyndsey. The sun is starting to go down. I want to make another patrol of the perimeter and then lock down the cabin for the night. Tomorrow, we can figure out our next move.”

As he turned and walked away, Lyndsey let out a shaky breath, her emotions swirling like the ripples on the water. The danger outside was real, but the battle inside her—between her past, her work, and the man she was beginning to trust more than she wanted to—felt just as perilous.

Lyndsey walked back to the cabin, heard the click of the lock on the door and began to make some kind of dinner. They’d fallen into an easy routine where one of them cooked and the other cleaned up the kitchen after they’d eaten. Earlier in the day Jake had caught and cleaned a couple of trout. Lyndsey brought two of the fillets out and began to prepare trout almondine. It might have been easier just to coat them in cornmeal and fry them, but she wanted to do something to show Jake she did appreciate all he was doing for her.

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