“Yup.”
“He must’ve been a pretty bad boyfriend.”
I chuckle. “Yes and no. He was my first everything so I didn’t know any better but I knew there had to be something more. Something that felt…easier. I’m not saying a relationship should always be easy—God knows, my parents fought a lot—but they also laughed a lot. They liked each other. When Dad touched her, it wasn’t about sex. I’m sure it was sometimes, but you know what I’m trying to say. Like, he would put a hand on her hip and just stand there. Talking. Drinking. Watching TV. He already owned her heart so it wasn’t about proving something to anyone else…he just liked touching her. Being with her. With Pete it was always about sex. Like, if he put a hand on my hip, it was because he was hinting.” I stop talking because I realize I’m rambling. “Sorry. I shouldn’t be talking about another guy when I’m in bed with you.”
He chuckles. “This is called communication. Getting to know each other. If you could tell me what those fuckheads did to you, you can certainly explain why your high school boyfriend didn’t make you feel cherished.” He pauses. “I can’t promise I’ll be a great boyfriend but you’ll always know I care. You’ll always feelsafe. Protected. And the sex will be good. That’s one promise I can make.”
“I believe you,” I say solemnly. “Especially that last part.”
“One more word of warning,” he says quietly.
“Uh oh.”
“I’ve felt possessive from the moment I laid eyes on you. I don’t think that feeling is going to go away.”
“Possessive is fine. But don’t tell me I can’t have friends. Don’t tell me I can’t work or have my own money.”
“What?” He looks startled. “No. Fuck no. That’s not what I mean at all. Jesus. I just mean, I’m going to worry about you and protect you. Even after we find these assholes who took you, I’m probably going to be over-the-top with in-home security, a tracker on your phone. Not because I want to stop you from doing anything, but because Idon’t. I want you to live your life. I just want to make sure you’re safe when you do it.”
“Assuming we’re in a serious, monogamous relationship, I don’t have any problem with you knowing where I am at all times.”
“Assuming? Honey, you just told me I was yours and I responded you were mine. That’s as serious and monogamous as it gets. And trust me, those aren’t words that have ever come out of my mouth before.”
I stare into his handsome face and I realize I’m not just falling for him—I’ve tumbled right over the edge into the abyss.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Landon
Serious and monogamous.
I have never used those words in relation to myself. Ever.
And yet we did.
Or rather, she used them and I’m totally on board.
That’s the crazy thing—this doesn’t feel as weird as I always thought it would. I assumed falling in love would make me uncomfortable and I’d need to take a long time to make sure it was right or whatever.
Nope.
I just jumped in with both feet yet I have zero regrets. It’s very unlike me but Allora is unlike anyone I’ve ever been with. She brings out a softer side of me, one I really only tap into when I’m with my nephew. It’s going to take a little getting used to but it feels like this is the right person at the right time. I didn’t think thirty-eight would be the magic settling down number but maybe it is.
Holy shit.
I just thought about…settling down.
Rage would die laughing if he knew what I was thinking right now.
Okay, maybe not. My happiness wouldn’t be a joke to him. He might give me a little shit about it, in private, but not in a malicious way. He hasn’t had a serious girlfriend in a long time either so he understands my reluctance. Our lifestyle just isn’t conducive to that kind of thing. At least, it never was before.
Now that we’re with Shadow Security, the jobs we’ve taken have been different. Abused women who need help escaping from their abusers. Movie stars with stalkers. Assignments that aren’t that dangerous, not compared to the missions we took on in the past.
This sex trafficking ring is something else.
It’s dangerous, no doubt about that, but I’m more worried about Allora than myself. They’ll have to work extremely hard to get one over on me, but she’s a lot more vulnerable. Because whether I’m her bodyguard or her boyfriend, we can’t stay holed up forever. She has to get back to work. I have to start taking other jobs. We have to live our lives and my gut tells me that’s not going to be easy with our current situation.
Unfortunately, I’m starting to believe the only way to catch these guys is to draw them out, and the best way I can think of to do that is to dangle the woman I’m falling in love with like bait.
