Page 193 of Chasing Sparks

“Yes.” My teeth clench as a fresh wave of tension rushes through me. “And so do you. Who did I demand you stay away from?”

Ori’s eyes widen, horror dawning on her face. “Kevin Duncan.”

I nod, taking her hands in mine. “That’s why I was so desperate to keep you from him.”

“Is that why he was hanging around me? Because of you and Lucille?”

“Pretty much. He wanted to get even with me by hurting the most important person in my world.”

Her breath catches as she stares at me, tears shining brightly in her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me all this a month ago?”

“I wanted to, but Trace swore me to secrecy. Braden didn’t know, either. No one did. Trace worried if you guys knew, then your reactions might give it away. Kevin is a piece of shit, but he’s no fool. He was sniffing around, just looking for anything to prove this was a ruse. I had to ensure you believed it was real, too.”

Her tears earn their due, sliding silently down her cheeks. “Trust me, you gave a hell of a performance. This was the worst month of my life.”

I reach over, sweeping her tears away with my thumbs. “Mine too.”

“So, why are you telling me now? Did they get him?”

“They’re closing in tomorrow, and I’m taking an enormous risk telling you, but I couldn’t go another minute with you, not believing that you are everything to me.”

Ori ducks under my arms, shaking her hands as she tries to digest the deluge of information. She paces a few short steps before stopping, her head tilting up to meet my gaze. “My head is spinning.”

“Are you okay?” I step closer, my stomach tightening with worry.

“Metaphorically speaking,” she replies, waving a hand to brush off my concern.

I exhale sharply, the tension easing from my shoulders. “Don’t scare me like that.”

“Sorry. So that’s why you showed no interest in Lucille or her baby?”

“Yep.”

“And why you’ve been so ridiculously overprotective of me?”

“Exactly.”

She removes her glasses and pinches the bridge of her nose, releasing a shaky breath. “Makes sense.”

“Look, I want Lucille safe, but she’s not the reason I agreed to play along with this ruse. Trace and Lucille informed me that Kevin was watching you. They had photographic proof, and I knew he had been hanging around. I figured he had a thing for you, because a lot of fucking men do, but when I learned his real reason for staying close, I knew I had to protect you. Taking him down was the only way to keep you safe.”

Ori huffs out a small laugh, her lips quirking into a half-smile. “Are you done now?”

I chuckle at my woman’s thinly veiled annoyance, realizing how good it feels to laugh again. “Keeping you safe? No. Never.”

“With your undercover work.”

“Yes, I’m done. Hopefully, for good.”

Her shoulders sag as the tension slides from her body. “You’re a good friend to Lucille.”

“She’s not my friend, but she’s no longer my enemy, either. Besides, you help people when they’re in trouble. That’s how my folks raised me.”

"They raised you right. Thank you for protecting me, even though I spent most of this month thinking you were a total asshole. Also, I may have bought a book on black magic."

“Shit. Did you read it?” I really hope she’s kidding, but with Ori, you can never betoocertain.

“You’re still here, aren’t you?” Her reply is blasé, like I’m off the hook for now—but I’m pretty sure that book is staying in her nightstand, just in case I screw up again.

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