“There’s nothing fair about fighting for what you want,” he said gently, though a quiet steel threaded his words. “And what I’m asking — begging, if I’m honest — is that you don’t dismiss what’s growing between us.”
He drew a breath, forcing himself to hold her gaze even as fear scraped at the inside of his ribs. He wanted, so badly, to protect her from the ugliness that goes with his life, but that wouldn’t be honest of him. And Suzette deserved honesty.
“I need to tell you something about yesterday.” His chest tightened. “Something that might decide … us for you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What about yesterday?”
“I think we were photographed,” he said.
She slumped back. “At the supermarket?”
His nod was reluctant.
“Wait.” Her eyes narrowed. “You said … think?”
“He had a cellphone aimed in our direction at the checkout.”
“Maybe it was coincidental.”
“I’m hoping that’s the case.”
“But you don’t think so.”
“I don’t, no.” He exhaled. “King Security pulled the store’s surveillance. The man moved to the window when we left, but it’s unclear whether he took photos from there.”
It only took her a moment to connect the dots. “So … it’s possible he could trace me through my car’s registration.”
“It’s possible. I’m sorry, Suzette. Truly.”
“Is anything online?”
“Not yet. I warned my publicist. She’ll tell me the second anything surfaces.”
She tipped her head back, staring up at the ceiling. He wished he could read her mind. When she finally looked at him again,her expression was unreadable. “If the images do surface,” she asked quietly, “what do you intend to do?”
“That’s up to you,” he said as softly. “We can spin a story, lean on the family angle. I’m taking a break, visiting your beautiful part of the world. Make it clear we were just two friends running errands. There was nothing in our behavior to suggest otherwise. I leave after New Year.” His throat closed and he forced the words out. “And never come back.”
He paused, drawing a steadying breath.
“Or … we can be open and say we met at a wedding and are taking some time to explore our feelings for each other.” His gaze searched hers, hated that the next words were necessary. “That will put you in the limelight. You’ll be talked about. Your past will be dissected. Some people will vilify you, and for that, I am truly sorry.”
The moment the words left his mouth, his gut clenched. What kind of selfish bastard was he? Chasing his own wants, his own desire for her, while pushing her into a danger she never asked for. He’d shoved her straight into the crosshairs. “As much as I talk about withdrawing from the industry — and Iamprepared to do that — the hard truth is that I’d always be JK Kenzie.”
He dragged a hand over his face, then down the back of his neck, the weight of it all pressing on him. “Believe me, if I could go back and rewrite my history, I would. But I can’t.” His voice lowered. “What I can do is protect you. I’ve already contracted extra security. You won’t be harmed. Not physically.”
Brows raised, she said, “You really know how to charm a woman, Justin.”
“Again—”
She lifted a hand, stopping him. “Yes, you’re sorry. Yet you came here knowing full well this could happen. And it didn’t stop you.”
Her words landed like a blow, his gut dropping. “No. It didn’t.”
“Why?”
“You woke something in me, Suzette. And yeah, I’m a selfish bastard, because I wanted more,” he admitted, voice rough. “I wanted to get to know you. Really know you. To see if what I felt — that spark, that pull — wasn’t just in my head.”
He reached toward her before he could stop himself, then forced his hand back down. “Not taking that chance? That would’ve been the biggest mistake of my life.”
