Ian paused. When Cassie didn’t say anything else, he continued, “Grandpa’s will divided his estate three ways. Our parents received one-sixth. Kieran and I received the remainder. And that was the beginning of my current incarnation.”
“How old were you when he passed?” Cassie made eye contact.
Ian lost himself in her emerald green eyes. “I was eighteen… attending Stanford and trying to figure out a major.”
“What did you choose?”
When he smiled, dimples highlighted his square jaw. “I never decided. I jumped in with both feet. Double major, economics and international policy studies, combined with a master’s in international security studies. I also minored in history with a focus on military science.”
Cassie shook her head. “Did you sleep?”
“Not much, but I promise, it wasn’t all work.” When Ian winked, Cassie blushed.
The waitress served their appetizer, and they paused for a moment to enjoy the dish. The silence was comfortable as they nibbled their fritters.
“You grew up with a lot of support.” Her body language was more relaxed, and she was engaging in the conversation. “What called you to the Navy? Your parents?”
Ian placed a hand on top of hers. Cassie tensed but did not pull away. “Growing up was easy. Loving parents who instilled a strong moral compass in me. A baby brother who is my best friend. No teenage angst. Great education. Athletic, I played football and lacrosse. A heavy dose of patriotism. No economic struggles.
“Some of my friends didn’t have it so well. I learned early on money didn’t buy happiness. My best friend, Ross, grew up in a magnificent house with money for anything he could want, but it was tainted with alcohol and abuse. His dad spoke with his fists.”
Cassie frowned. “That’s terrible.”
“Ross spent his early life dodging his dad’s rage and protecting his mom and baby sisters.”
“I will never understand how a partner, male or female, could hurt their family like that.” Her words were a whisper.
Ian studied her. Her body language changed: she was keeping secrets.
“One afternoon, my dad walked in the kitchen door to find my mom putting ice on Ross’s bruised knuckles.” Ian rubbed Cassie’s with his thumb. “My dad thought Ross and I got into a fight and was about to throttle us. Mom raised her brow. Kieran and I still cave to that eyebrow.”
Cassie giggled again, and Ian’s heart skipped a beat.
“When he found out the truth, my dad stormed over to Ross’s house. He found Ross’s sisters in a closet and his mom unconscious. My dad called an ambulance, and as it pulled away, Mom took Ross and his sisters to our house—then Dad proceeded to beat the daylights out of Ross’s dad.” Cassie’s eyebrows rose. “Yeah, I know, not the greatest example.”
“But I bet it felt good,” Cassie said.
Ian was surprised by her comment.Who hurt you?
“My mom and dad arranged help for the family. Later on, my dad reminded Kieran and me, his job was to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. He punished me for not speaking up sooner about what was going on. My dad made it clear saying nothing was as bad as standing by and letting it happen again.”
Cassie took a hard pull on her straw.
“Ross joined the Navy because of my dad’s influence.” Ian stared into space. “He died in a training accident the summer after I graduated. A bunch of us were celebrating his life on Venice Beach. It was two o’clock in the afternoon, and we were all loaded. The water was incredibly rough. Terrible riptides. The lifeguards were in the water more than not. While they were dealing with another emergency, a woman started screaming, her little boy disappeared in the waves. I grabbed Kieran and held him back. We were too boxed to help.” Ian’s eyes fogged. “I heard my father’s disappointed voice in my head. I’d blown it again.
“Out of nowhere, two guys flew past us into the water, cutting through the waves as if they were calm. They pulled out the little guy and started CPR on him. By the time the lifeguards got there, the boy was breathing.” Ian took a full swallow. “The two men were active duty US Navy SEALs on leave.
“I realized I’d had all the opportunities in the world, yet I was pissing them away.” He looked at Cassie with a warm twinkle in his eyes. “I joined the Navy a short time after. Kieran did the same after he graduated.”
His tone went from serious to joking. “I learned what serving my country was about. It sure wasn’t what you read in the enlistment brochures. I swear I had blue balls for the whole time I trained.”
Cassie giggled again. “I lived with Christian in Coronado for a while. I was kinda stunned at how cold that water is.”
Ian laughed, giving her a mock shiver as his thumb circled her palm. “I’d finished officer’s training and fifteen months of SEAL training when I gained access to my inheritance. At that point, I didn’t need the money to live on. With Kieran’s help, we made a few key investments. That was the start of the Chase Group. We developed Chase Ventures from there. The Navy was my current life, but the business was for the future. Kieran ran things until he enlisted, and Uncle Connor and Aunt Maeve took over until I was ready.
“9/11 changed everything. It was Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom—and a bunch of stuff I can’t say. As time went on, things started to get murky. Politics became the third party we battled. But the big turning point for me was when Kieran sustained severe injuries on a mountain.” Cassie’s face filled with deep concern. “I took a bullet or two. It was time to get out. I felt I could make more of a difference in the private sector.”
Cassie played with her straw. “Is that when you created Chase Security?”
