Page 69 of Deadly Secrets
Unfortunately, for all his money, skills, and connections, he couldn’t move enough mountains to do that for her.
But if he caught the bastard stalking her, it would be a damn good start.
He’d seen the worst of so many people over the years, it often left him jaded. Combined with his own self-loathing, he could have sunk into a rut he’d never have climbed out of. Luckily, he had a driving need to be the hero, as his brother had accused him of over and over again, and that need wouldn’t let him rest.
The first time he’d seen Brooke, she’d been in front of a group of law enforcement agents talking about a growing terrorist threat in the Pacific Northwest and the group’s deep-seated religious beliefs. He’d felt his world shift. While she had in no way condoned the group’s actions, he’d walked out of the conference understanding them, and what mattered to them, in a way he hadn’t before.
Two weeks later, his taskforce nailed the leader and shut down the cell. He’d experienced a renewed sense of purpose.
And that’s when he’d known he had to have Brooke for himself.
Since he’d formed his DT Taskforce, he’d been through at least a dozen agents and half as many expert consultants that knew their job well but didn’t click with the DTT’s core members. Brooke had earned their respect from the first day and continued to do so.
“Hey.”
She stood in the doorway, makeup free, her damp hair hanging in waves. She wore nothing but one of his button-down shirts. A single button over her breasts held the two sides of the shirt together and she was pantyless. Even though she’d picked up clothes from the store, she seemed to prefer his.
Fine with me.
He loved seeing her in his clothes. Seeing her in his house. His shower, his bed.
My ring.
He had more plans for her inside the boxing ring, and none of them involved gloves.
Or clothes.
The handcuffs were still an option.
“Hey, yourself. Ready for dinner?”
She walked over to the sliders and peered out at his large deck. “What a lovely view. Can we eat outside?”
The sun was sinking over the water, dozens of boats at the docks far below, bobbing in a peaceful rhythm with the waves.
It wasn’t advisable, seeing as how her stalker could be out there, even though it would be challenging because of the sheer drop off for him to get close. But it wasn’t impossible, and while the stalker didn’t seem the type to take a shot at her from a distance—and he couldn’t get close enough to hurt her any other way—Roman couldn’t take chances. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Her hand landed on the glass door. “You think he’s out there?”
Didn’t that just kill the mood? “We have to assume he could be.”
“Good.” She unlatched the door lock. “Let’s give him something to see.”
She marched out on the porch.
Roman closed his eyes for a quick moment and blew out a breath.Crazy, gutsy woman.
He carried the plates out and set them on the glass table. She stood at the railing, the wind gently ruffling her bangs and blowing the shirt open. Roman approached her and buttoned a couple more buttons on the shirt. “I really have to advise against this.”
“I know you do, but I’m tired of living in fear. He took so much from me when I was ten, I’ll be damned if I let him do it again.”
Roman scanned the area. It would be difficult for anyone to see her out here, with the way the house had been built against the rocky hill. His closest neighbors actually had better views of the marina, but they were all on different levels of the hill. If Brooke’s stalker was in one of the boats far below with a good set of binoculars, he’d be able to see them when she stood at the railing like this, but what were the odds the bastard had a boat down there?
Roman had seen some bizarre things in his time, least of which were serial killers who would go to any lengths to keep their prey in sight. “Come sit down,” he told Brooke, guiding her back to the table.
She smiled up at him, the setting sun spreading a warm glow over her face. “Ordering me around, boss?”
The term made him smile. “Damn right. Your care and well-being are on my ass right now. Get over here and eat the steak I cooked you.”
