Page 9 of Rescued By the SEAL

He isn’t looking at me. Why doesn’t he want to see me? It’s been absolutely years and he doesn’t even want to see who I’ve become? In a way, I’m grateful because I’m sure I look like shit, but at the same time, I don’t understand. Even if he hasn’t been thinking of me for years in the same way that I have him, isn’t he curious? I’m sure he knows who I am.

“Err, so are you… you know, in the gang like your father?” I have to find out how much danger I’m in here. “Because he basically told me that he’s trying to sell me, and I can’t be sold. My father will lose his shit, and I don’t want that. No one wants that. I mean, you’ve met my father. You know what he’s like.” I laugh, but he doesn’t join in, which only makes me very uncomfortable. “Well, I suppose it was years ago now, but he’s the same as he always was. Angry and irrational.”

Oh, God, Landon is saying nothing to me and he’s still not looking my way. It’s almost like he doesn’t remember me at all. Hereallymight not remember me. What we shared might not have been as significant to him as it was me. I loved him like I’ve never loved anyone else, but this Landon is very tall with gorgeous, shaggy blond hair, thick muscles that are delicious, and soulful brown eyes which I can just about see from here. He definitely looks like a man who has had more love than me. I was just a teenage crush to him that he doesn’t even recall because he has a full, exciting life now.

Shit, how embarrassing is this? How the hell do I get away?

8

LANDON

“Max, it was a shit show,” I tell him quietly on the phone as the anger continues to make it’s way through my system using my burning hot blood as a river. “My father captured Lola Rose—well, Heather, actually—to pay off some debts or something. Then he tried to guilt me into feeling bad that he and my mother have terrible lives. Like I have anything to do with it.”

“Okay, okay, you need to calm down,” Max tells me coolly. “I can’t get the full grasp of the story. So, this Heather is someone your father knows? It’s someone you grew up next to?” I make an agreeable sound. “Right, I see. And so your father saw her as she was interviewing some other criminal and obviously decided to take advantage of the situation. And you say he owes some guys money or something, but you don’t know what for?” Again, all I can do is say yes. “And the guys turned up?”

“Turned up acting all insane, with guns and all sorts.” I roll my eyes and shake my head. “It was nuts. They were just shooting randomly and causing all kinds of issues. I got Heather out of there as quickly as I could, but I saw enough to know my dad isin trouble.” I don’t know how I feel about that. At the moment, I’m pretty much just numb. “I didn’t stick around to find out, though. My job was to protect Heather, and so I brought her to my place. I didn’t know what else to do. I don’t know what to do now.”

“Hmm, I see.” I can’t tell if Max is happy with what I’ve done. He isn’t giving anything away. “Right, well, you are in the best place you could be right now. You’re safe where you are. I assume no one knows where you live who could track you down?”

“My father has no idea where I live. I wouldn’t ever tell him my address. It’s pretty much just you who knows at the moment.”

“Right, great. That’s good news. You can stay there while I try and figure out what’s happening. We need to learn who these people are so I can figure out what they want with Heather and if it has anything to do with her father. I guess I’ll have to talk to him too, keep him in the loop. Oh, God, I’m not really looking forward to that one. He isn’t the easiest man to deal with.”

“Don’t mention me,” I insist. “At the moment, anyway. I think he will get all worked up and act out. If he knows that it’s my family involved in this situation, then he might do something crazy. We don’t need that on top of everything else.”

“Yeah, that’s fine. I want to keep the privacy of my agents under my control, anyway. It’s the best way for this company to work. I won’t say anything unless it comes to a point where I don’t have a choice. Then I’ll have to, okay?”

Urgh, I really hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t want to get dragged into Heather’s family mess more than I have to. I don’t particularly want her all intertwined with mine, either, but it seems that we’ve been dragged back together anyway.

“Sure,” I say with my teeth gritted together. “If it comes to that, then fine. So, we should just stay here?”

“I think that’s for the best at the moment,” Max agrees. “Heather is under your protection, anyway, so wherever you feel safe. I imagine if you already know one another, it will make it much easier for her. We don’t want her to be in a state.”

I glance over toward where Heather is curled up in a ball on my couch. She couldn’t look more uncomfortable if she tried. The idea that she may be more comfortable with me is ridiculous. My presence is only freaking her out more. I don’t know if that’s because my father kidnapped her or because we have this weird history between us. Either way, it’s complicated and confusing and I don’t know how the hell we’re going to drag ourselves out of this mood.

I’ll be honest, it doesn’t help me that she has grown into the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. My God, she was so gorgeous when we were younger, but now she’s evolved into a freaking goddess. I can’t stand it. Even when I picked her up from the apartment and drove her away, I could hardly look at her because she had my head spinning like crazy.

Max says a few more things to me before we hang up the phone, and I’m left with nothing but silence for company.

“Erm, so do you want anything to drink?” I ask her awkwardly. “Or anything to eat? Anything at all?”

“I’m okay,” she whispers. “Maybe some water, actually. I don’t know. I’ve no idea what I need.”

As I pour the glass of water, I scour my brain to try and find something to say to ease the thickness surrounding us. “Did err,my father hurt you at all? I can get a doctor here if you need one. I didn’t think about that. I’m sorry. It’s all been a bit of a mess.”

“I’m not hurt.” She shakes her head hard. “At least, I don’t think so. Should I get out of your hair, though? I don’t know if hanging out with you right now is the best idea with your father after me like he is. Those men could find me here too, and I don’t want you to be dragged into the middle of my mess. Maybe I should see my dad and speak to the police.”

“Your father is about to be informed that you are with me,” I insist a little stiffly. It’s almost like I don’t know how to speak to women anymore. She’s stripped me of my normal senses. “He knows that I’m protecting you. I’m security, so this is fine.”

She stares at me with slightly glazed over eyes. I don’t think Heather isreallyseeing me right now. “You’re security?”

“Yes, that’s my job. That’s what I do with my life.” I don’t know if she’s even listening, never mind whether she’s impressed or not. “And you are a journalist, am I right in believing that? A writer working on a story about criminals?” I hope this might get her talking and this awkward silence can break, but she does nothing but nod. “Right, that must be fascinating.”

I don’t know if Heather is much of a talker these days. She certainly was when she was younger, but that was a long time ago now. There could have been a lot of changes in her life. I guess I don’t know for sure. Or maybe she’s simply shocked and she doesn’t know what to say to me. Either way, I need to do something to change this, so I stand up and pace around the house, checking that every single door and window is locked. Even if anyonedoesfind us, which I can’t imagine they will at the moment, they won’t be able to get in here. Nothing willhappen. Heather is safe with me. I won’t let anything happen to her.

“Oh, I like your tattoo!” Those words burst out of my mouth as she shifts her position on the couch, revealing ink on her thigh. “I remember you always said that you were going to get a tattoo once you were old enough to. That’s sweet.” I’ve already peeled back the layers now, so I might as well carry on. I lean in closer to get a better look. “Oh, it’s L.R. Is that like Lola Rose? That’s your pen name, isn’t it? Pretty cool name, if you ask me. What made you choose it?”

A redness stains her cheeks, which makes me snap back away from her. I’ve clearly overstepped the mark here.

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