Hope surged in her that the threat was gone and she would be free to go back to her place and not have to worry about constantly looking over her shoulder. “Good development?” she asked, trying to keep her tone as neutral as possible.
His fingers had been stroking up and down her arm, but they stopped, and her hope died in a flash. “Not good, but during our discussions we came up with another scenario, one that I think probably makes more sense than thinking you were a primary target.”
“What is it?” She should be happy that she wasn’t who they were after, yet she didn’t, because that meant that someone else was.
“That they’re after me, not you, and what happened out the front of the Alliez building with you and your rideshare was a crazy coincidence.”
“You’re the target? How? Why? Are you sure?”Marie fired off the questions because none of that made sense to her. And then it did. “Your undercover work.”
Isaac nodded. “That’s the likely connection. Someone from my past has found out where I am and has decided I need to pay for what I've done to them or their family.”
After their talk about what he’d done while he’d been a part of the Ramirez Cartel, she understood that there were things he had to have done that would have consequences. But hearing him say it out loud made it real. “How sure is everyone that this is the case?”
“We’re still investigating. When we thought back over everything that happened, and the fact that things have been so quiet lately, we realized that it was my car that had the tracker on it. It wasn’t your car because you didn’t have one. If they were after you they would’ve made a statement with your apartment, but that has remained untouched. Nothing has happened to you at work either which got us thinking about why that was.”
Everything Isaac said made sense to her, but that didn’t make it easy to swallow. “I don’t like the idea that you’re in danger,” she whispered, snuggling closer to him. The very idea that something could happen to Isaac was more than she could stomach.
“I don’t either, but it’s something that I deal withevery day. One of the reasons I’d stayed away so long after I woke from my coma was, not only to let all the heat die down, but to keep those around me safe. Knowing that me being near you could put you in jeopardy, eats me up.”
She moved so that she was straddling him. His hands came to her hips, and she rested hers on his chest. “The danger of me being near you is no different than if I was the target.” She met his gaze, trying to read between the lines of what he was saying and what he was thinking. “You were going to leave weren’t you? You were going to run again.”
There was no accusation in her tone, because she knew that the reason he would leave her and those around him would be for their safety, not because he wanted to get away from them.
“I was. It was my default response.”
“But?”
A wry grin crossed his face. “I was convinced that I wasn’t alone and that I would be hurting more people if I left. Plus, I would be leaving you, and even though I figured it would keep you safer if I left, I couldn’t. You’re too important to me.”
That was all she needed to hear. It was what she knew as well. “You’re important to me too.” She leaned down and kissed him, pouring all that was growing inside her toward this man.
Isaac had her thinking of a future she never thought she’d have again. A future where she wasn’t alone, but had someone who loved her as herself. She didn’t know if Isaac loved her, but his actions were showing her that he cared. And cared deeply.
She wanted more. More than just kissing. She pulled her mouth away, her breath coming out in jagged gasps. Marie framed his face and stared at him, her gaze unwavering. She wanted him to hear and understand exactly what she was saying. Wanted him to know that she meant every word. “I want you, Isaac.”
His eyes widened immediately. He got it. Got what she meant. “You do?”
“Yes.”
“You know there’s no going back after this. I won’t be letting you go.”
The possessive streak was back, and desire curled low in her belly. Was it wrong that she got turned on by his comments? His earlier jealousy had surprised and annoyed her a little, but it was also empowering to know she could evoke such emotions within him..
Did that make her contradictory? Likely, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered right now was the two of them and taking their relationship to the next level.
“I’m very sure this is what I want. Take me to bedor lose me forever,” she quipped, quoting the iconic movie line.
Isaac laughed, the sound deep and carefree. She felt the rumble of it through her fingertips still resting on his chest. “I can’t refuse that offer, can I?”
“You’d be mad if you did,” she teased and squealed in surprise when Isaac stood. She tightened her hold on him.
“Never let it be said that I don’t get the message.”
He shouldered his way through the doorway of his bedroom. The smell of the pine scent he wore permeated the air. He lowered her to the ground, but didn’t let go of her. His hands rested loosely on her hips.
Now that they were in his room, a shaft of uncertainty hit her, but she quickly squashed it. This was what she wanted. There was no reason for her to feel that way.
“Hey, if you’ve changed your mind, that’s fine,” said Isaac, his voice gentle as if he was afraid of spooking her.
