Page 61 of Always Been Mine

“Move in with me,” he stated simply.

“What?”

“Move in with me, Beatrice. You know that’s where we’re heading.” Gabe shrugged. “So, just move in with me.”

“Gabe, you know how excited I was when I scored this condo?” Beatrice unloaded her dirty clothes from the suitcase to the laundry bag. “Prime location in Washington DC.”

“I bet the annual fees are a killer,” Gabe muttered.

“Beats renting office space,” Beatrice said. “Now that you’re feeling better, maybe I should—”

“Stop right there,” Gabe snapped. He got up from his relaxed perch on the bed and walked toward her. “You’re doing it again. Backpedaling. What the fuck do I need to do, huh, Beatrice? Why are you afraid to get close to me?”

She opened her mouth as if to protest, but shook her head. “I don’t know. I like how you make me feel and it scares me.” Her luminous green eyes locked on his with all honesty. “I’m trying, Gabe. Believe me, I am. Because deep down, I know you’re not going to hurt me again. But I need you to have a life outside of me.”

“What do you mean?” Gabe glared at her.

“Threat’s over, right? Ryker is dead. It’s been quiet for over six weeks.” Beatrice sighed. “We need to go through normal. You know what I mean? I don’t want you to be my bodyguard. I was never the target to begin with, you were.”

“I still don’t know what you’re asking.”

“I’m asking you to find something else to do besides babysit me.”

“You’ve done nothing but babysit me for a month in the hospital,” Gabe argued. “Why can’t I do the same for you?”

“That’s different and you know it,” Beatrice retorted.

“Babe, are you worried I’m going to run out of money, be the drifter boyfriend? Because I assure you, I have plenty saved up. I’m not letting you support me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. That thought never crossed my mind because you’re not that kind of man.”

He sure wasn’t.

“I do have a plan once I’m a hundred percent sure you’re out of danger.”

Beatrice’s eyes lit up. “Oh, what? Are you going to ask Travis for a job?”

“Fuck, no,” Gabe muttered. “Protecting that body of yours is one thing, but that’s not the type of work I like to do.”

“Not—”

“Neither am I doing undercover work ever again—long term ones at least. I’ll probably contract out to security companies that work with the government, engaging in short-duration strike operations.”

Beatrice didn’t look happy. “Not sure I like the sound of that.”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “You wanted me to do something else.”

“There are only a few security companies I trust, BSI being one of them,” Beatrice said. “I don’t want you doing anything risky without someone I trust to have your back.”

“What do you want me to do, Beatrice?” Gabe asked in exasperation. “You don’t want me to be your bodyguard. You don’t want me to work for security companies other than BSI. Give me something here.”

“How about private investigation?”

Gabe’s brow shot up. “That could work. But there’ll be some level of undercover work and confidentiality I can’t share with you.”

“That’s fine,” Beatrice smiled smugly. “I’ll get you in contact with a friend of mine.”

Gabe didn’t trust that smile. He’d seen it one too many times whenever she was scheming with Doug. “What does your friend do?”

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