Page 51 of Captured Pawn
Relief at hearing her voice and seeing her safe and sound warred with fear of how much pain she would be in if the whole truth about her connection to our family ever came out. “You’re a sight for sore eyes. I hear I have you to thank for saving my life.”
Sophie rushed across the room to my bedside, leaning down to throw herself across my chest, hugging me hard enough that I groaned in pain.
“Sorry… I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m so relieved you’re awake.”
Her long dark hair was still damp from her shower. The smell of vanilla and coconut hair products wafted up from her and calmed my nerves. For the first time since I’d woken up, the pounding in my head reduced ever so slightly.
“I’m kinda relieved to be awake too.” I paused before adding, “I’m so damn sorry this happened. I hate that you were in danger last night.”
“None of this was your fault,” she argued, hugging me tighter.
Only I knew better. My eyes locked with Nathan’s gaze. I could see that if I didn’t tell her myself, he was going to.
How did I get here? A few short days ago, I would have throat-punched the first person to suggest that I was going soft, but here… now… holding Sophie in my arms, there was no other explanation.
I wanted to consume her. To lock her up and keep her all to myself, in part because I was a selfish bastard, but more important, because I knew it was the only way to truly keep her safe.
Except it wasn’t. There was one better, yet heartbreaking, way to keep her safe.
“Sophie…” I stroked her hair, enjoying the feel of her.
I waited for her to stand and look down into my eyes before I added, “There is something I need to tell you. Something Matt kept secret but that I think you have the right to know.”
“I heard the security guys talking before Nathan yelled at them to shut up.” She looked between me and my brother nervously, like she wasn’t sure if she really wanted to know or not. But when I delayed, she bravely prodded, “You might as well tell me. I’m not going to let this drop.”
I chuckled, which only made everything hurt worse. “I have no doubt you will hound me relentlessly, kitten. You are nothing if not tenacious.” I reached to take her hand in mine, needing to maintain our connection.
“Spit it out. It can’t be all that bad,” she said, sounding hopeful.
Dammit, I hated that after all she’d been through, I knew what I had to say would only hurt her more. She’d already lost her brother. Dredging up the past was only going to reopen wounds that had already healed.
It couldn’t be helped.
“Did you ever wonder why Matt and I had gotten to be such close friends?” I asked, deciding to start the explanation there.
“Well… you were in the same school, right? I mean, he was ten years older than me, so I assumed…” Her voice trailed off.
“We did go to school together, yes, but only after my father had him transferred to the private school that Nathan and I went to instead of the public school you ended up going to.”
“Okay, that’s kinda weird, but what does this have to do with anything?”
“He had to go to school with me for his own protection. It was easier for the security team to guard us if we were together instead of in two different schools.”
“Why in the world would your security team need to protect Matty way back then? He was a teenager. He didn’t even work for you yet.”
I hesitated. Was Nathan right? Was reliving all this drama even important?
Looking into her eyes… realizing how much I’d grown to admire and care for her… I knew I had to do everything I could to keep her safe.
“Matt was a teenager, yes, but it was your father’s work that put a target on his back.”
“Wait… my father? What does he have to do with anything? He’s been dead for ten years now.”
Sophie yanked her hand away from me. I suspected it was just reflexive, but I hated it.
I’d opened this door to the past. Looking at the anxious fear in her beautiful violet eyes, I knew that I was about to hurt her… and not the fun kind of hurt.
It was Nathan who answered from behind her. “Your father worked for the family. He and my father were friends. My dad loaned him the money to open the security business, but it was meant to be a front for all of the work your father and then later Matt did for us behind the scenes.”
