Page 30 of Deadly Protector
At the word indulge, he wondered what else she might like to indulge in. Naked time with him, hopefully.
Damn it.He had to keep his head on straight. She was here because of a threat. She was counting on him to stay sharp.
“Thank you,” she murmured as he slid the glass over to her. Then she glanced at the stovetop behind him. The empty stovetop. But she didn’t say anything, which just made him smile.
“I overestimated the ingredients I had, so I called for delivery.”
She let out a startled laugh. “That sounds amazing.”
“Maybe not so amazing when I tell you that it’s an hour wait.”
“That’s totally fine. This will tide me over.” She lifted the glass in a half salute, making him smile.
Something he found he did often around her. Smile. She brought out a different side to him, made him want to open up to her in a way he never had with anyone. At the risk of being overly honest, he said, “I told you I was arrested when I was eighteen.”
She straightened slightly, her dark eyes widening. “I didn’t want to push, but I definitely remember.”
He shoved out a sigh, wondering if he’d lose her by telling her who he’d once been. Praying he wouldn’t.
“You don’t have to tell me. It’s okay,” she said when he paused far too long.
“No, I want to tell you about my life—not just give you the curated parts,” he added, mirroring what he’d said to her only a day ago.
Her full lips curved up. “I want to know everything you’re willing to share.”
He nodded toward the big glass doors that led to the patio and pool area.
She slid off her stool, grabbed her glass and walked out with him.
Once they were settled on lounge chairs in front of a small fire pit and he’d turned on the pool lights, he said, “I was arrested at eighteen because I got cocky. But it wasn’t the first time I’d stolen something.”
“Something?”
“Jewels this time. From a rich asshole—not that it makes it any better. I used to make excuses for my choices.” He cleared his throat, watching her, trying to gauge her reaction. “And I’m not sorry for all of them.”
“I like your honesty,” she murmured before taking another sip.
“I was good at what I did. Fast, knew how to get in places quickly. And thanks to a good mentor and a knack for it, I was really good at disarming security systems and breaking into safes.”
Her eyebrows raised, surprise clear in her expression. “That’s…impressive.”
He barked out a laugh at her response.
“I’m not saying it’s a good thing, just impressive. Is that how you ended up owning a bunch of hardware stores? Oh my God, that’s what you do for Red Stone?”
A small grin played at his mouth. He was glad she wasn’t repulsed by him now. “Hardware stores are a necessity and a good way to stay legit. Once I got the capital, I started building them where there was a need. Then I expanded. And the Red Stone contracts came much later. Recently. But yes, that’s part of what I do. Cracking safes isn’t as common but it’s still a skill they need and I have it.”
“So what happened after you got arrested?”
“A judge gave me an option. I either got to join the military and ‘straighten up’ or I was going to jail. It wouldn’t be a long sentence, I knew that. But I didn’t want to go to jail, didn’t want anything on my record. My mentor agreed, told me to join the military, and I’m glad I did. Now, anyway. I was pissed at first because back then I didn’t see it as a real choice. But…if I hadn’t, I’d have likely ended up back in jail or been killed.”
She blinked.
“I was on a quick path to winding up dead. Sooner or later I would have pissed off the wrong people, or stolen from the wrong person.” He was also glad to have joined the Marines for other reasons. He’d learned a lot of skills, learned how to survive in the worst conditions, and he’d met a handful of men and women he still thought of as family. “I didn’t walk the straight and narrow after I got out—but I do now.”
“Wow.” She took another sip of her wine, watching him over the rim of her glass.
“Are you done with me now?”
