“Now why do I think you’re lying?”
Because I was. As soon as his back was turned, I’d continue looking for a way out.
“Don’t know. Maybe you have trust issues.”
He chuckled, and I choked on my spit at the way his face transformed. He was usually scowling or looking angry. But there was a slight smile on his face for about three seconds, lighting him up and making his already beautiful face breathtaking.
Bastard.
Oblivious to my inner struggles, he turned and left me to it. I turned the TV on, cranking the volume up so he wouldn’t hear any furniture scraping along the floor. I planned on moving the cupboard in front of the door to stop him from coming inside as soon as I’d found a way out.
I was standing on the back of the couch to reach one of the windows that ran high along the wall—why couldn’t they just put normal windows in?—when the TV shut off and someone cleared their throat behind me.
The window was locked like all the others, but I’d been desperate after looking for a way out for almost three hours. I’d lured myself into a state of security since nobody had checked on me after Gunner left me to my own devices.
I startled at the sound and fell with a shriek, landing on the seat of the couch.
“Any luck with the windows?” Carter asked, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his impressive chest.
There must be something in the protein powder around here.
I remembered Carter as the most easygoing of Gunner’s men. If you could call an expert sniper and computer genius easygoing. But he’d never treated me with anything but respect, and I hoped things would still be the same now.
I sat up, brushing the hair out of my face. “Unfortunately, no.”
He grinned at me. “You do know the alarm will go off as soon as anything in this house opens?”
I sighed. “Of course it will.”
I’d encountered the silent alarm yesterday, after all. But that didn’t mean I’d stop trying to open the windows. And I’d figured a window that high up might have been overlooked.
“I brought lunch. You hungry?” Carter asked.
Since there was nothing else to do around here but hatch escape plans and eat, I nodded.
He pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “Come on, then. I brought subs. They’re in the kitchen.”
I followed him to the big wooden kitchen table that was now overflowing with at least ten different subs.
I pointed at the table. “You having a lunch party?”
“Wasn’t sure if you still liked the same things you did five years ago. I started getting you chicken, because that’s what you usually chose. But then I thought you might not like chicken anymore, so I added meatballs. Then I figured it was best to cover all my bases and got vegetarian, vegan, lactose free, pork, and, in case you’re on a diet, a salad.”
He was still as endearing as ever. “That was really thoughtful. And for the record, I still like chicken and avoid all vegetables.”
“Noted,” he said and sat down next to me.
We ate while chatting, and I found out Carter was still just as devoted to his job and his boss. They’d been in the navy together. When Gunner got out, he started a security firm and asked Carter if he wanted to work for him.
They’d been working together for close to ten years and were now an established name in the business. If you needed the best, you went to Locked Security.
The company had always been Gunner’s baby. And despite how we left things, I wanted him to be successful. I knew he was good at his job and that I had to let go of my resentment or risk getting us both killed.
This wasn’t the first time my life had been threatened, and it was likely that it wouldn’t be the last. I should act like the Mafia princess I grew up as and put aside what had happened.
If only it was that easy.
I was making coffee when the man himself came into the kitchen. He looked at me, then at Carter, who was leaning against the counter a few inches to my left. His usually calm face tightened, and a little wrinkle appeared between his eyebrows. It was quite fascinating to see his face move at all. He was usually an impenetrable wall.
