“Chief says I can take as much time as I need.”
“Feds find anything yet?” he asks, keeping his attention on the burgers while mine stays on Selena.
“Got a call yesterday. They’re still collecting evidence, dismantling his elaborate empire. This fucker was into a lot of shit. They’ve already recovered over forty million in cash, that doesn’t include his offshore accounts. But that ain’t even the kicker, motherfucker owned several properties throughout Mexico, two of them hideouts, the rest, pit stops for trafficking. One of the properties they raided had as many as a hundred women, some as young as twelve years old.”
“You think she had any knowledge of this?”
“No, she was terrified of him. The bastard killed her mother right in front of her, and I have a feeling whoever was backing that trafficking operation will want to tie up any loose ends, know what I mean?”
“She got any clues who it could be?”
“None, but I’m hoping they figure that shit out soon. If nothing else to put her mind at ease.”
“No doubt,” he says, closing the lid of the grill and picking up his amber bottle. “In the meantime, you two just playing house or is this thing serious?”
“Serious as fuck.”
“Thought so. You have that same look in your eyes I did when I knew April was the one.” He tips his beer bottle toward April.
He hit the nail on the head with that one.
A few of the guys I work with and their wives are gathered around the fire pit, laughing and talking. Selena sits among them, quiet, reserved. As if she can sense my gaze on her, her eyes drift toward mine.
The intense pull between us is scary as shit and oddly perfect.
“Good thing you’re keeping her close, innocent girl like that, having gone through what she has. Someone would take advantage of her and she’s had enough to deal with.”
Damn right she has, and if I have anything to do or say about it, that shit will never touch her again.
No matter where he is, his eyes are always on me. Silently keeping guard.
My noble protector.
I’ve had so much fun today. More fun than I thought I would. The wives have made me feel welcome. Even though I know they recognize me, they don’t ask about my past. And it’s something I appreciate immensely. I spend more time with the children than anything. April and Jimmy’s little boy, Caleb, is so sweet and has the cutest set of dimples. He took a liking to me right away, and I couldn’t help but fall madly in love with him, too.
Lindsey nudges me, leaning over the chair and dropping her voice low. “If he keeps staring at you like that, he might bust a nut right there.”
“Bust a nut?”
She blinks at me.
“You know, come in his jeans?”
My face heats. “You’re still not with me, are ya?” I shake my head. “I’m getting the feeling here you’ve never had sex before.”
I do not answer but she must see it written all over my face. “Sweet Lord, that man is going to die.”
Looking over my shoulder at Justin, his heated glare aimed right at me, I clench my thighs, thinking about what he did to me the other day. I return my attention back to Lindsey. “But—we’ve done other things.”
Lindsey smiles. “Atta girl. You let him go down on you?”
I nod.
“You go down on him?”
I shake my head, my face heating even more. “I wanted to, but he only wanted to please me.”
“Hell yes, I knew he was a giver. A man like that won’t be able to hold on to that self-control for long, and judging by the way he’s looking at you now, I’m thinking it’ll be sooner rather than later. You nervous?”
