Futurewhat now? I narrow my eyes at him, not sure I want to fully process the squirmy feeling in my tummy at that. His eyes are twinkling in that impish way, and I can’t tell if he’s making fun of me so I’ll just assume he is. I whirl on him,scowling. “What exactly were you hoping to accomplish by going after myabuela, Wesley?”
He smiles. “She likes me.”
I shake my head. “This was just between the two of us. I can’t believe you dragged her into it. Low blow, Peter Parker.”
The expression on his face is neutral as he begins working the knot in his tie loose with the hook of his index finger. My eyes are glued to the motion, and I swallow hard. Not because I’m affected by the ridiculously erotic show of his hands flexing underneath the tattoos, but because… another reason. A convincing one.
“It’s not my intention to involve her in our affairs—I knew you’d come here.”
How? How did he know that? It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask, but I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of getting yet another one over on me.
He must see the question in my eyes anyway. “I knew you’d want to see her before you left town,” he finishes, confirming that he figured out my next move.
My stomach swoops behind my belly button. Am I that predictable? “You really think you have me figured out, huh? He’s so smart,” I mutter sarcastically.
He cocks his head, and the hair he slicked back to achieve his cleaned-up businessman persona falls into his eye. I fight the urge to brush it aside for him. “I knowyou,” he corrects. “You’re going to run. Don’t.”
“You told me someone wants me dead—that they hired people to kill me. Why would I stay?”
“I told you I would protect you.”
“I don’t need your protection.”
I only get the driver’s door open a couple of inches before it slams closed, jerked out of my grip. His massive hand is gripping the top corner, and I know he’d hold it closed if I tried to open it again. I spin, outraged, and find him way closer than I expected. I have to lean back, tilting my head so far that I nearly fall backwards.
In the blink of an eye, I’m pinned against the door of my car, pressed hopelessly between the cold, rigid metal at my back and the searing heat of the man in front of me. He leans into me, bracing himself with a hand by my ear, letting me feel the hard press of his firm muscles and heavy weight. I’m gasping for air, making my chest heave and brush against his at the apex of every breath.
“Is this your kink? You like boxing me in?” I quip.
When I feel his hand on my waist, I nearly jump out of my skin. I’m not sure if he’s steadying himself, or holding me so I can’t get away. Both, I hope. I can feel his warmth, since he snuck right into my unbuttoned sweater, and he’s practically burning a hole through my tank top. And he’s not being overly gentle, either—he’s gripping me hard, and his palms fit perfectly just above the flare of my hips. His hands tighten, forcing a gasp out of me, but his thumbs move gently, stroking the base of my ribcage.
“Let me go,” I whisper, hoping he doesn’t.
He shakes his head. “I can’t do that. God, Madison… the thought that someone wants to hurt you... I’m going out of my mind. Please don’t go. Stay. Let me help you.”
There’s a world of sincerity and anguish in his tone—he sounds scared and truly concerned. I swallow down the tenderness that wants to bubble to my lips and console him. “I’m a big girl, Wesley—I can take care of myself.”
“How about this, then:Ineedyourhelp.”
I go still at the softness in his eyes, my stomach jolting as if a rug was literally pulled from under my feet. After how charged our exchanges have been, I never thought he’d ask nicely. And Ineverthought asking nicely would actually work.
“I need your help to find him.”
I inhale sharply at that. Wait… does that mean he’s not cutting me out and asking me to put my life in his hands—he’s offering to let me be part of it? “I can find him on my own,” I protest, but it sounds half-hearted, even to me.
He smiles. “I have no doubt,” he says, and my heart lifts. I didn’t realize how badly I needed to hear him confirm that until now. “But surely you can see that this is a better option—you don’t know what you’re up against, and you have a very blatant soft spot for a very vulnerable person. Someone could take advantage.” He gestures back to the building with a jerk of his chin, never taking his eyes from mine.
He’s got a point. Of course Icando it myself—just like I always do—but it would be much easier with his help. He has answers. And what’s more, he hasresources. Plus, it might help to have someone like Wesley on my side if theworst-case scenario happens, because I’ve never killed a man but… apparently, he has.
“I can’t do this without my favorite spider. We’d make an unbeatable team.”
I tilt my head back, lips spreading into a smile. A team. Just like old times. And even better, we’ll be side by side. “Okay, Wesley.”
His brows tip up in the middle, an entreating look full of tentative hope. “Okay?”
“Okay.”
The tension blows out of him with a long breath. “Okay. Good. Go finish your visit with your grandmother. We’ll talk after.” Releasing me slowly, like he doesn’t want to, he steps back and tightens his tie around his neck. “I’ve got an appointment with the vice president of Sunset Hills.”
