She clenched her fingers into a fist to keep from reaching for him. “What’s the problem now?”
“I turned him in a year ago. We kept it quiet. He reached a deal and was supposed to go to federal prison.”
This so didn’t sound good. “And?” she prompted.
Rory ran his hand along the back of the sofa. “He wasn’t the trainer for nothing. The guy knows the system inside and out.”
“He escaped?” Her eyes widened.
“Too easily,” Rory said. “I’ve been on him for about six months, and we have intel that he’s in Denver.”
Her limbs felt weak. “So you’re going to go…what? Find him? How?”
Rory finally smiled then. “That’s my job, sweetheart. Don’t worry. I’ll find him, and I’ll be safe. I’ll put him in custody and be right home.”
She looked at him, curiosity overtaking her again, even though concern rode its heels. “Just how dangerous are you?”
He blinked as if surprised by the question. “I don’t think I’m more dangerous than any other person. I’m better trained, however.”
There was a lot more to it than that, but she didn’t know what questions to ask. She also didn’t think he’d answer much more than he already had.
“How dangerous is your ex-trainer?” she asked softly.
“Very,” Rory admitted. “But don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
All of a sudden, she couldn’t breathe. “This is insane. Rory. I admire what you do, but...”
“This is my last case,” he said. “I’m going to buy in with my brothers and retire from the federal government.”
She shook her head. “You can’t change your life for me.” It wasn’t fair to ask that of him, and she didn’t want him to resent her. Ever.
“I’m not. Well, I would, but regardless of our relationship, I’m ready to get out.”
Her body loosened, and her heart returned to a calm cadence. “You’re going to be a hunting and fishing guide?” That seemed too calm for the man. She knew he craved challenges. “After all the excitement and international intrigue?”
He wrapped a hand around her knee and leaned in for a quick kiss. “I have enough intrigue right here in our small town, and there’s a little bit more to the hunting and fishing business than you know.”
Right. Sure, there was. “What, you’re picking and selling huckleberries on the side?” she teased, her lips tingling from the kiss. She knew she should move away from him and the sofa, but her body refused to cooperate. It was almost as if they were back on the same plane again, and her heart stuttered.
“No. We’re doing quite a bit on the side, however.”
“What does that mean?”
He shook his head. “I can’t really tell you right now, but I will give more details later.”
Everything inside her went cold, and she pulled completely away, huddling in her corner of the sofa. It would always be like this with Rory. There would always be secrets. “I can’t do that,” she said. “I can’t be with somebody who has a completely different life I’m not involved in. I just can’t do it.”
“I’m not asking you to stay out of my professional life at all,” Rory stressed. “As I said, I’m leaving my current job after this case, and when I go in with my brothers, you can know everything you want. We won’t keep any secrets.”
She gulped. “Are your brothers doing anything illegal?” She just couldn’t imagine Knox, Finn, or Vince running drugs or anything like that.
“No.” He sighed. “Fine. They use their military experience and run a private op or two every once in a while. Their skills are needed, they do a lot of good, and they sometimes make a lot of money—depending on the mission.”
Seriously? Was everyone around her working clandestine jobs? “I can’t deal with a spouse who’s off getting shot at when I don’t even know where he is. I want somebody with whom I can be involved in all aspects of his life.” It sucked to be on the outside looking in.
“So get involved with it,” he murmured. “I’m more than happy if you want to take part in planning and the business once I fully buy in. You’re not going to execute operations, but I’m done hiding things from you, Serenity. Maybe you should stop hiding from me.”
Chapter7
