Page 44 of After The Storm

In his usual humble way, he shrugged as if what he was about to say wouldn’t be far more impressive than anything she’d ever heard before. Just the fact that he willingly put himself in harm’s way to help a woman he’d never met outweighed everything she’d ever seen anyone do.

“They recruited me. After I left the Army, I spent some time in security like Butcher, but guarding wealthy financiers and their mistresses didn’t do it for me. I wanted something else, and when Nick Hanson, one of the people in charge of Artemis, came to me to join him and a few others he’d recruited, I liked what I heard.”

None of this surprised her. Roman had an honorable streak a mile wide in him.

“Why did you leave the military? I get the feeling you’re the perfect type for the Army.”

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I left because it began to feel like nothing we did mattered anymore. I signed up and did my two tours in Afghanistan, but I needed something more. Something that let me know I was making a difference in the world.”

Kate watched as Roman’s expression grew dark. She could only imagine the horrors he’d experienced over there and didn’t want to make him miserable by asking more questions about his time in the Army. Better to turn the conversation to something lighter.

“So this Nick guy told you he wanted to protect women in danger and you, being the kind of guy you are, jumped at the chance to help people?”

His eyes grew wide at her description of him. “The kind of guy I am?”

God, he really had no idea what kind of man he was. “You know, the hero type. That’s why you didn’t like being some wealthy guy and his girlfriend’s security detail. There’s nothing noble about it, and if you’re anything, Roman, you’re noble to your core.”

He thought about what she said for a long moment. “You say that like there’s something wrong with being noble.”

“No. It’s one of the best things I’ve seen in a person in a very long time, but it’s not common by any means. Not anymore. You’re a throwback to a time long gone, I think.”

Her answer didn’t seem to make him any happier about how she’d described him. Instead of continuing the conversation, he grew quiet, and Kate didn’t know what she’d said to make him clam up like that. She hadn’t wanted to offend him by saying he was noble. She meant what she said when she told him how nice it was to see that in someone.

Just when she thought he’d start talking again, he stood up. “I have work to do. You should come in. We can’t risk anyone seeing you out here.”

Kate wanted to ask what she’d done wrong, but he didn’t give her a chance as he turned and began walking back to the house. She hurried to catch up to him, wishing they could return to their conversation, but to no avail.

The moment was lost.

Chapter Fourteen

Roman knew hecouldn’t leave Kate alone, but suddenly as he walked back to the house, he wanted to be anywhere else in the world. He didn’t want to discuss what he’d done for Butcher or why he jumped at the chance to work for Nick and Persephone at Project Artemis. The way she said he was a throwback to a time long gone only pointed out the obvious differences between them.

She saw herself as an independent woman who didn’t need anyone to save her, and in her eyes, he was some kind of relic from a time when men like him tried to suppress the freedom of women like her.

Not that he was a man who would do anything to protect a woman and a man who believed in honor and duty.

The way she described him made it sound like there was something wrong with who he was.

He didn’t want to think about that anymore. Time he got back to work on this case. The sooner he helped Kate clear her name, the sooner he could get back to the estate and the next assignment.

“Hey, can we talk?” she said behind him as they walked through the front door.

Without looking back at her, he said, “I have work to do. If you ever want to get back to your life the way it used to be, I need to talk to my friend who might be able to help us.”

“The guy who owns this house? How can he help?” she asked, following him through the living room and into the hallway.

Roman didn’t bother to explain that he didn’t mean Butcher when he referred to his friend. He knew more than one person, for God’s sake. Just because he used the word friend didn’t mean he meant Butcher.

“Roman? Did you hear me or are you just ignoring me?” Kate asked just before he closed the bedroom door behind him.

He sat down on the bed and called the estate hoping to talk to Xavier. If anyone could help them, he could. Roman knew next to nothing about computers, but his fellow Project Artemis member spent his days and nights consumed with them. The one member of the team who rarely got sent out on assignments, he helped whenever anyone needed to know more than what they could find out through a basic search.

Nick answered, as Roman had expected, happy to hear from him. “Hey, Roman. I’m glad you called. We were beginning to wonder about you. How are things going down there?”

“Things got a little more involved in the past day or so, but other than that, everything’s fine. I was calling to talk to Xavier. I’ve got something I could use his help with.”

Chuckling, Nick said, “Ah, something our in-house hacker can help you with? I saw him earlier today, but I don’t know if he’s on the estate. Give me a minute and I’ll have Tess see what she can find out.”

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