“Neither do I,” he admitted. “I lost count by thirteen.”
Her eyes widened, but there was no disgust in them, only sadness. She didn’t pull away. That, at least, felt like a victory. “We have lived very different lives, Mališa. It is not just the age difference holding me back. I do not ever want to hurt you.”
“Why would you tell me that? It was easier when it was just a fantasy of mine.”
Thorn barked a laugh, half relief, half horror as the meaning sank in. “Why would you tellmethat?”
“To make things fair.” She grinned, eyes bright with mischief. “And maybe to make you change your mind.”
“Evie.” He huffed, torn between exasperation and affection. She had no idea how dangerous hope could be for him. “It is not just the years or the past. I have nightmares that turn violent, and I have never kept a relationship for long. They end badly. Always.”
“You are far too important to me to have what will be a short-lived romantic relationship that will end with resentment and hurt. Trust me. I know what I can offer you, and it is not enough.” He cupped her cheeks, looking at her seriously. He could live another hundred years, and he would not be able to offer her what she deserved. “I would rather have our affectionate, platonic relationship and have you in my lifeforever than enjoy a month or so of sex and romance that will end badly, leaving you hurt and upset with me.”
“So, what now? We just pretend this conversation never happened?” Evie frowned and Thorn was happy to see there was acceptance mixed with the disappointment on her face. He was also extremely happy she wasn’t pushing him away or telling him to go fuck himself.
“No,” he said gently. “We know. We accept it cannot happen, and we move on.” He searched her face for any sign of hurt, then asked softly, “No hurt feelings?”
“No hurt feelings,” she echoed, managing a small smile. “A little disappointed, but I understand.”
Chapter Ten: Sloane Enterprises
By April, Tommy had incorporated Sloane Security Services and was already deep into staffing it. He’d brought Thorn on as a consultant and made him Director of Protective Services, placing him in charge of recruiting and training new hires while Tommy handled day-to-day operations and the behind-the-scenes logistics.
To keep Sloane Technologies running smoothly, Tommy appointed Kara Schmidt as Chief Operating Officer. A tech prodigy he’d poached straight out of MIT, Kara had been his protégé for three years, steadily groomed to replace Oscar and, if necessary, to guide Evie should she inherit the company before he was ready to prepare her himself.
Thorn threw himself into the new role. While Tommy focused on building the administrative backbone, Thorn drafted a rigorous training program for bodyguards and security specialists. By February, he had convinced two former military colleagues, men he’d trusted from the old mercenary network who now took legitimate protection contracts, to join him as trainers. Within eight weeks, their first class of agents graduated and deployed, and the next group of recruits was already lined up.
The results exceeded Tommy’s expectations. When the board rejected his proposal to make the security and contracting divisions part of Sloane Technologies, citing liability concerns, he didn’t argue. Though he could have overruled them as majority shareholder, he respected Rupert and the others toomuch to force the issue. Instead, he quietly incorporated both companies under a new private parent: Sloane Enterprises. The next morning, he signed a consulting contract between Sloane Contracting and Security Services and Sloane Technologies. On paper, they were separate; in practice, they were both his.
When he finally shared the next phase of his plan with Thorn, forming a small, elite group of grey men for discreet international contracts, they spent three weeks refining every detail. Thorn walked him through how his old network had operated: how contracts were posted, distributed, and claimed. With Thorn’s help, Tommy found the network on the dark web, hacked in, and deployed bots to collect data.
As for recruitment, Thorn advised him to start quietly within veteran circles and among trusted intelligence contacts, both foreign and domestic. The right people, he promised, would find him soon enough.
It was at the closing party of the Global Tech Summit, an industry expo where major companies launched new products and courted partnerships, that Tommy found his first contractor.
He’d attended with Kara and Thorn. Kara was already deep in conversation with a group of mechanical engineers they hoped to poach, leaving Tommy and Thorn to make their way through the crowd. They stopped now and then so Tommy could trade a few words with colleagues and old friends, eventually ending up at the bar where Tommy ordered a much-needed scotch.
“So, is the big guy your boyfriend?”
The question came from a low, husky voice with an accent he couldn’t quite place. Tommy turned, surprised, and found himself looking at a stunning woman with honey-blonde hairand large, doe-brown eyes. She wore a tailored dark pantsuit and a hot-pink blouse that somehow made the ensemble look both sharp and playful. She was smiling at him, and for a moment his heart skipped a beat.
“Thorn?” Tommy glanced over at him. Thorn was scanning the room restlessly, looking every inch the bored bodyguard. “Besides the fact that I’m pretty sure everything’s in proportion, which is more than a little terrifying, he has a thing for my sister.” He took a sip of his drink, grinning when the woman laughed at his dry tone, and extended his hand. “Tommy Sloane.”
“Oh, I know.” She took his hand, amused that he felt the need to introduce himself. “Nissa Simon.”
“Nissa. Pretty.” He kissed the back of her hand, flashing his most charming smile. “Where are you from, Nissa?”
“Israel,” she said easily, leaning against the bar. Tommy gave a subtle nod to the bartender for another drink. “But I spent several years here in New York City. My father was an Israeli ambassador before he retired last year.”
“Really?” He grinned, studying her openly. “Then let me buy you a drink, and maybe we can find a quiet corner to talk.” A curl of desire tightened low in his stomach. He was used to being approached by beautiful people, but this felt different.
“Tempting,” she said with a small smile, “but I’ll have to pass. I’m on assignment.”
Tommy’s eyebrows lifted. “Assignment?”
She pointed discreetly at a handsome young man across the room surrounded by laughing women. “Him. Son of a rather controversial politician back home. He works for Tavor Dynamics, and I’ve been tasked with keeping him alive.Fortunately, he is more interested in collecting STIs than doing anything hazardous to his life.”
Tommy’s grin faded as disappointment crept in. It wasn’t the first time someone had approached him hoping for an opportunity, but he’d been hoping she was different. “So, this is a job pitch?” he asked, turning back toward the bar to hide his irritation. He nodded toward Thorn. “You’d have to talk to the big guy about that. He’s the one who handles hiring.”
