Page 97 of Savage

He went silent, and that was all I needed to fill in the gaps. It made my blood run cold, and like he knew how horrified I was for him, he ran his hand along my back.

“I don’t know how long I was in there. I just remember that it was still dark when SWAT came and told me my parents were gone. I didn’t find out until much later that it was a home invasion. Some assholes who wanted money and were willing to kill to get it.”

“I’m so sorry.” It was all I knew to say, yet again, because what elsedidyou say to something so horrible? “Where did you go? Did you have anyone?”

“I was shipped off to live with my aunt here in the city.”

“Saying ‘shipped off’ doesn’t make it sound like a good thing.”

Lachlan shrugged. “It wasn’t terrible. She was cold, but rich, so I never lacked for anything.”

Except the warmth of his parents’ love. That was enough to ruin anyone’s life, but somehow he’d survived. Hell, more than that—he’d succeeded in ways I couldn’t even fathom.

“I hate that you went through that,” I said softly.

“I’m fine.”

I lifted my head. “But are you really?”

He stared at me for a long moment before his lips curved in a sad smile. “I am.”

“I’m sure it helps to make your own family.” When his brow furrowed, I added, “Your brothers. Like Alessio.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “I suppose you’re right.”

“I can understand why something like what happened to your family would make you want to get involved in security.”

He continued to nod, his arms wrapped around me tightening.“That safe room saved my life. It kept me hidden from the men who broke in. I wouldn’t be here without the security systems my parents implemented, and when SWAT rolled in, I… I don’t know, it stuck with me. The idea that there were people out there that could help others. That could protect people without a four-by-four room. I was just a kid, but I never wanted to be in a position where I ran from a fight again. I wanted tohelp.”

I nodded, unable to comprehend what he must’ve felt sitting in that room alone and helpless. No wonder he went into the line of work he did.

“What made you choose private security over SWAT?”

“The benefits.” Lachlan chuckled. “Do you see the penthouse you’re sitting in?”

“I do.”

“You think I’d get this on a government salary?”

“Be serious.”

“Iambeing serious.” He smirked. “I originally wanted to sign up for the police force after high school and work my way toward becoming a SWAT officer. But my aunt flipped out. She leaned heavily on my guilt, and the fact that my parents had put aside money so I could attend their university as a legacy student, so I ended up at Astor University for four years instead.”

“That doesn’t seem fair. If you knew what you wanted, she shouldn’t have guilted you into doing something else.”

Lachlan shrugged. “I was pissed at first, and felt the exact same way, but she thought she was doing the right thing. Plus, I wasn’t exactly the easiest teenager.”

“No? Do say more.”

“I liked getting into trouble. Usually with my fists. I was angry, sad, and privileged enough that if I got into a fight at Astor, nothing really ever came of it. I fell into a group of guys that came from the same kind of money as I did, and one night when things got a little out of hand at a bar, I got into a fight, passed out, and when I woke up…King was standing over me.”

“King?Your boss?”

Lachlan’s chest rumbled with laughter. “One and the same.”

“And what, he offered you a job?”

“He offered me an…opportunity. One that was difficult to refuse.”

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