“Knox told me what the WhiteRock board asked you to consider.”
Whoa.What?“He shouldn’t have said—”
She held up her hands. “Please don’t get upset. He didn’t give me details. I think he was hoping I’d talk you into it. He said he thought you’d turn it down.”
“Yes. I’ve decided to turn it down.” He couldn’t believe Knox told her. Except . . . oh. The long-term assignment on Isadora Island he’d been offered would have included Knox. And Allie. And not only did Knox want to work with Allie—while simultaneously being scared to death of working with her—he absolutely wanted to work with Alliewith Jason in charge. Because Jason understood Knox and Allie. Even if Knox didn’t understand Knox and Allie.
It was all ridiculously clear.
He couldn’t deny the offer was attractive. He’d lead a task force to investigate organized crime in Morghana. Hopefully leading to arrests. WhiteRock’s client for this operation was a conglomerate of interested parties, including the country of Morghana and resort owners from several of Morghana’s islands, including Drakos. The FBI—and he suspected the CIA, though it wasn’tspoken—was also contributing funding on the condition that all intelligence gathered was shared with them.
Interesting. Tempting. Except . . .
“Tayla, I’m not taking the position because it would probably mean spending the next several months in Morghana. Probably on Isadora Island, with little cell service. I thought . . .” He rubbed the back of his neck. “We’re just getting to know each other. I didn’t want to take off on a long assignment right off. Usually, my assignments span a few days or maybe a couple of weeks at a time. What WhiteRock wants to do on Isadora Island will take months.”
“And what the Greyhouses are considering may take just as long. I don’t have to be the one on the ground fleshing out whatever they end up doing there. They may want to build an orphanage and a school. I think Mrs. Grayhouse has lots of ideas, but they need more of an assessment first. It’s just an offer, though. I could remain in my current position with them as a personal assistant. But if I want the assignment in Morghana, it’s mine. They made that clear.”
Wow.
Jason leaned back in his chair. And tried to wrap his head around everything she said. The look in her eyes. And the worry burrowing through it all.
“Is that what you want?” he asked. “Tayla, I know this is your career. Your decision. But Isadora isn’t safer now than it was a month ago. We solved one problem, but we uncovered a den of snakes. That’s the reason for the WhiteRock task force. To root out the most dangerous players in Morghana. The people Dylan is working for. And others. It isn’t safe.”
Her eyes, her face, her slow nod, all projected a calmness.
A calmness he wasn’t feeling.
“You’re right. I know. But honestly, it isn’t less safe than a dozen other places I used to visit regularly, to help with the Carmichael’s charities.”
Just the mention of that name tightened his chest. He still couldn’t believe what Spencer put her through. He never wanted her to feel that afraid again. He wanted to protect her. From everything.
“And, the way I look at it,” her gaze grew more intense, “when my parents died in the car accident, they were on their way to a restaurant for lunch. Just going about their normal day in Houston, Texas. What I meanis—”
“Staying here doesn’t guarantee your safety. I know. I get it. But that doesn’t mean—”
“It doesn’t mean I shouldn’t use my head.” She smiled. And boy, oh boy, if it didn’t launch a ray of sunshine all the way to his core.
“Jason, I feel like I could really help in Morghana. Especially with the orphans on Isadora Island. But right now, I think the stupidest thing I could do is to mess up what I have with you. You’re a miracle. An answered prayer.”
Something vulnerable flitted across her face. “I tried to keep myself safe for years by avoiding any relationships with men. I realize now I can trust God to show me who I can trust.”
Her eyes glistened. She took a quick breath, and a tear escaped the pools brimming in her eyes. “I know God didn’t want any of those men to do the things they did, but God did use the danger we faced in Morghana to show me the kind of man you are. I didn’t . . . I just never thought I could trust a man again. I really didn’t. But God has made it very clear that I can trust you.”
He felt her words down to his bones.Shewas the miracle God sent tohim. And she didn’t realize it.
She pushed two moretears off her face.
He left his chair. Walked around the table to her. Gathering her into his arms, he whispered against her ear, “Your trust in me means more than you can imagine.”
Tension melted from her body. Or maybe his.
She buried her face in his shoulder for a few seconds before easing back. “I do trust you. But besides trusting you with my heart, that also means I trust your instincts about the Morghana job. Yoursandmine. I was there. But I was scared out of my mind half the time. I know these kinds of risks fall into your area of expertise. If you think you should lead the WhiteRock task force down there, take the job. You won’t lose me. We’ll make it work. If you want to.”
Oh. He didn’t expect that. Maybe that’s why it didn’t sit well with him to turn down the offer. Maybe that’s why he’d put off telling the board.
She slid her hands down his arms and tilted her head. “Do you really think me helping the Grayhouses with their charity work in Morghana is too dangerous?”
There was no good answer to that question. “Dangerous? Yes. Too dangerous?” He rubbed the back of his neck. Instead of answering his own question. Or hers.
