Page 63 of Always Been Mine

“What exactly do you see?”

“Ruthlessness.”

His expression shuttered. “Ruthlessness has always been a part of me. You know that.”

“I don’t know; it’s just . . . weird, okay?” Her knees went weak so she sat down.

Finally, his face softened and he crouched in front of her. He captured her knees between his, splaying his hands on her thighs. “You have nothing to fear from me.”

Beatrice huffed. “It’s not that. You’re just intense.”

His jaw tightened. He gripped her chin and the ruthless gleam was back in his eyes. “Yes. I’m intense when it comes to you. I’m ruthless when it comes to you. That is never going to change. Deal with it.”

Beatrice jerked her chin away. “Not helping, Gabe,” she hissed.

“Babe, I am who I am. In all the time we’ve been together, have I ever given you a reason to fear me?”

“No.” Even now she was not afraid of him, but she was afraid of what his jealousy, coupled with this cold ruthlessness, could mean to people around her. “Just . . . just control yourjealousy, okay? Threatening to kill a hypothetical husband or lover is freaky enough.”

“I’ll rein it in.” His chilly smile was not reassuring and neither were the words that followed. “Just make sure your male colleagues know their place. In deference to your professional reputation, I’ll try not to act like a psycho boyfriend.”

“That’ll be appreciated.”

“Just remember—I have my limits.”

Shit.

“Honey, I’m home.”

A smile played on Beatrice lips. It had been three days since Gabe finally let her go about her business without shadowing her. Not that he’d been an intrusive bodyguard at all. Despite his imposing presence, he had a way of disappearing and reappearing as needed. It freaked her out sometimes, these Houdini acts, but she knew even if she couldn’t see him, he had his eyes on her constantly.

Rhino greeted her at the door, and like she and Gabe had discussed, she’d been more firm with the dog, but no less affectionate. She’d admit to bending the rules a bit, and Rhino, being the clever dog, played along. It was like she and Rhino had a little secret all their own.

Rhino sat obediently this time and waited for Beatrice to give him attention.

“Hey, boy,” she bent down and rubbed his ears. “Where’s your master?” She straightened and called out. “Gabe?”

That was when she saw the note.

Meeting an old buddy for coffee.

Picking up groceries on the way home.

Left you a voice message.

G.

“Damn it,”Beatrice muttered. She was drained from the last meeting today and forgot to take her phone off silent and check her messages. She did have several missed calls from different numbers and an equal amount of voice mails. She’d check them tonight or tomorrow morning. If they were urgent and business-related, Doug would get a call as well, and so far, none of the calls were from her assistant.

Which means . . .

She could take a leisurely walk around the neighborhood with Rhino. She quickly changed into more comfortable clothes and sneakers and was out the door with an eager German Shepherd at heel. Trotting right beside her as she broke into a slight jog, Rhino snuffled repeatedly in canine contentment.

Beatrice welcomed the shock of frigid air in her lungs replacing the stale stuffy one rendered from dry-heated office spaces. She loved taking walks in this historic neighborhood with its brick walkways and quaint Victorian row houses. If there was one place that would make her give up her DC condo, it would be a house in Old Town Alexandria.

A nagging sensation suddenly prickled her skin. She noticed a beat-up car slowing to crawl right beside her. There were two occupants and the way they were watching her trilled the alarms in her head. They were approaching an intersection and her uneasiness escalated. Paranoid or not, she wasn’t tempting fates.

“Come on, Rhino, let’s head back,” she muttered to him. She turned around and was startled to see a man approaching with menacing eyes intent on her. A white panel van was also slowing down.

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