Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
Neither man spoke until the elevator dinged out in the main room, and Aurora was gone.
“Sir, I know it looks bad, but—”
Max fixed him with a murderous glare. “Please tell me it’s the first time this happened. That you didn’t touch her before today.”
He was giving Devon an out. The chance to lie. But Devon couldn’t take it. Any possible excuse had died on his tongue.
“I can’t do that.”
Max’s eyes closed, a curse on his lips. “Did you sleep with her?”
Devon’s stomach twisted painfully. He hated giving away any part of what he and Aurora had shared. Those moments belonged to the two of them, nobody else. Max didn’t own his sister. Aurora would be the first to remind them of that.
Yet Max was Devon’s boss. Not exactly a commanding officer, but a man who deserved his respect. Devon had a duty to respond.
“Did you sleep with her?”
“Yes.”
Max slammed his palm against the wall. A vase shook on a nearby table. “If you weren’t wounded already, I’d deck you right now.”
Devon stood with his back straight, not breaking eye contact. Max had every right to be upset, and Devon had earned this dressing down. As far as his job went, he’d messed up. Been completely unprofessional. Not to mention breaking his express promise not to touch Aurora.
From the first minute that she’d kissed him, Devon had known deep down that this moment of confrontation was coming eventually. But that didn’t make it any easier to see the disappointment on Max’s face.
“I was absolutely clear when you took on this assignment. You were supposed to stay away from her. You gave me your word. My sister ran back home after a difficult break-up, so she was already in a bad place. And then she was traumatized by seeing Wolfson’s murder.
She was vulnerable. I needed somebody to take care of her at her lowest point, and you took advantage of that. ”
Devon blanched at the accusation that he’d ever hurt her. “I didn’t intend for this to happen. But with all due respect, I don’t believe that I took advantage of her. Aurora’s not fragile. She’s tough and assertive. She was clear about what she wanted.”
“If I had any doubts about her consent, no one would ever find your body,” Max growled.
He paced like a caged tiger across the room.
“I know my sister. I can accept her claim that she made the first move. Hell, maybe she did. But just because someone offers doesn’t mean you have to accept.
What happened to your fucking self-control, Whitestone? ”
Finally, Devon averted his eyes, hanging his head. “You’re right. I broke my word, and I apologize.”
Devon wanted so much more than a few wild moments with Aurora. He cared about her. In fact, he was pretty close to falling for her. And he wasn’t sorry about that, not for a second.
Yet he wasn’t going to tell Max that. He wasn’t going to make excuses or try to justify his behavior by professing his feelings for Aurora. That would just make him look like an even bigger asshole. Besides, Max would never believe him.
“What the hell am I supposed to do with you? Yesterday, I would’ve given you a fucking medal for what you did, and now…” He put his hands on his hips, shaking his head.
“I can pack my things and leave the office, if you’d prefer.” He had to accept the consequences of violating Max’s trust, whatever they might be.
If Devon did the honorable thing right now, then maybe Max would at least give his blessing when Devon asked to date her. Because of course, he still wanted more than just a few days with Aurora. A lot more.
But losing his job, though? His family’s security? Fuck.
Max sighed. “Look, I’m not a robot. I know that emotions run high in these situations. You got Aurora out of some extremely dangerous binds. If not for you, I’d have lost her. That’s why I was on my way up here to talk to you—to offer to switch you over to personal security full time.”
“You…were?”
“Given your skills, it’s where you belong. You’re wasted behind a desk. I would’ve been a fool not to see that.”
“Thank you, sir.” He was so surprised that he didn’t know what else to say.
Max walked back and forth across the room.
The rage was draining from his face, and now he looked merely tense, if contemplative.
Devon’s boss was a very smart guy. In a matter of years, he’d built his security company into a small empire here in Southern California.
Devon had seen his boss’s ability to strategize before.
And right now, he could see Max’s mind working.
“Is that something you’d be interested in? Bodyguard duty can be a lot riskier, as you’ve seen the past couple of days. Your family wanted you to stay out of danger.”
“Honestly? I don’t know.” Ruby had urged him to pursue his own dreams instead of sacrificing so much for them. But what about his mom? She’d already lost a husband and a son.
“The pay increases with the risk, though. Your salary would be twice as much.”
Twice as much. That was more than the pay range for most bodyguards, even those who were veterans with far more experience and training than Devon. He knew that Max had to have an ulterior motive for this offer.
But just think about this for a minute, he said to himself.
You’d be only a few months away from the down payment.
His family would have a place in West Oaks to put down roots, to grow.
Ruby wouldn’t have to go back to work, and his niece would have her mom around.
His family would have the security he’d been fighting to give them for so long.
A job like that wasn’t easy to find, especially in a small town like West Oaks.
And Devon would actually enjoy the work. He’d just been thinking earlier that he wanted to be a bodyguard. He wanted to help people, like Kellen had. Here was Max, offering just that.
“I’d have to speak with my family. I’m not sure what they’d say, but I might be able to convince them. That is, if you’re still willing to have me.”
Max scrutinized him. “You slipped up, but…if we can manage to put this behind us, I’d like you to keep working for me. Which can only happen if you regain my trust.”
“Of course, sir. What can I do?”
He tilted his head to the side, as if considering. Then Max’s eyes turned cold and calculating. “Leave Aurora alone. Completely.”
Devon blinked. “I’m sorry. What?”
“Stay out of her life. The sooner you’re out of the picture, the sooner she can move on from all of this. I need your assurance that you won’t see my sister again.”
“Ever?” He couldn’t be serious.
“Ever. Not socially. Not to date, not to hook-up. Nothing. Break it off clean. She needs a fresh start. And so do you. You said you wanted to earn back my trust. This is the way you do it.”
Devon’s immediate instinct was to refuse. He didn’t want to stop seeing Aurora. But Max was letting him off easy, frankly. This was a second chance. He could fix this mess—make it go away.
All he had to do was give up Aurora.
Fuck. Am I seriously considering this?
He tried to picture the house, the secure future for his mom and Ruby, going to a job he loved every day… It did sound nice.
As in, too good to be true.
It was a fantasy to think they’d all be perfectly happy. His mom wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing he was in danger. Ruby would still resent that he’d taken too much of the financial burden.
And how could he be happy in any job if it cost him a chance with Aurora? What kind of man would he be if he made that choice?
“If Aurora didn’t want me in her life, that’s one thing. But I can’t do what you’re asking. I care about her. A lot. I realize I haven’t known her long, but—”
“You think you have feelings for her? That’s testosterone talking. You should know better, given your training and education. But maybe you’re not as ready to be a bodyguard as I thought. There are always attractive women in danger. There’s always temptation.”
“But Aurora’s not just any woman.”
Max scowled. “Exactly, she’s my sister. I know what’s best for her. That isn’t you.”
Devon clenched his jaw. “This isn’t just a chemical reaction to the situation.
I’d never claim to be perfect, but I have a lot to offer her.
” My love, for one. The realization took him by surprise.
He’d never felt this way about anyone before.
Maybe he wasn’t ready to say those three words to her yet, but he wanted the chance to get there.
In his gut, he knew Aurora was worth it.
“Good Lord. You’re serious, aren’t you?” Max’s expression had shifted from annoyance to pity.
“You think my sister’s in a position to return any feelings you might have?
After all she’s been through? She just got out of a three-year relationship that ruined her confidence.
She’s been running for her life from some psychopath.
And you think she’s got her head on straight? You’re fooling yourself.”
Devon opened his mouth to argue, but the tightening in his chest stopped him.
Could Max be right?
Oh my god. Could he?
He thought of the uncertainty on Aurora’s face just a few minutes ago, when she’d been in his lap. He had asked if she was okay, and she’d been about to tell him something. But then Max interrupted. What had she been about to say?
The events of the past several days spun through his mind. Aurora had seemed confident most of the time. Secure in her sexuality, enough that Devon had convinced himself she truly wanted him.
But she’d hinted at feeling insecure, hadn’t she?
There was the ex who’d made her feel bad about herself.
And then there was the biggest factor, the worst part of all this—the violence she had witnessed.
Devon knew firsthand that a horrific attack could blow someone’s mind wide open, scrambling them up on the inside.
What have I done?
“Drawing this out will only confuse you and Aurora both.” Max’s voice was smooth, even soothing. Like he was more sorry than angry. “As soon as the danger’s over, she’ll wake up. Who’s to say what she’ll be feeling then? Don’t throw away your career for some make-believe romance, Whitestone.”
Shame burned him from the inside out. His shoulders slumped. “I see your point. I’ll back off.”
He’d give Aurora a few days to herself, at the very least. Until she had a chance to reflect on what she truly wanted.
And if she regretted everything that happened between them? If she wished it all away? If she actually felt he’d taken advantage?
If he let himself feel the true impact of that knowledge—if he’d caused her pain—it would break him.
Better to close himself off now.
“I’m very glad to hear that.” Max’s body had relaxed. “So, you’ll accept the new position? We can put this behind us?”
“I’m sorry, but no.”
Max took a moment to register the message. “No? You’re saying no?”
“I can’t accept. My mom will never feel secure if I’m working full time as a bodyguard.” He spoke in a monotone, forcing the words out.
His desires, his dreams—that stuff didn’t matter. It never had.
Accepting the assignment to guard Aurora had been a mistake in the first place. He should’ve remembered his primary duty—to his family. Instead, he’d put his family’s security in jeopardy. He’d lost control, broken his word, and dishonored himself in front of his boss.
And worst of all, he might’ve taken advantage of Aurora’s vulnerable state, just as Max had said. Devon had never been so disgusted with himself.
He looked down at the K tattoo on his arm. He prayed that his twin wasn’t looking down on him right now.
“So you’re saying you want to go back to desk duty?” Max asked.
Devon shook his head. “Given the circumstances, I don’t think that’s appropriate either.
If I stay with Bennett Security, it’ll seem like I chose my job over Aurora.
I could never have done that.” He would never have let her go because of his boss’s demands.
But Max was also her brother. Max knew her, and he loved her.
How could Devon assume to know better than her flesh and blood?
“The only right thing to do is resign.” Which is what I should’ve done the moment that I kissed Aurora back. Because after that first taste of her, he’d already been lost. He was going to have a hell of a time getting over her.
Max looked bewildered. Clearly, he hadn’t expected this. Neither had Devon. In a matter of minutes, his feeble hopes had been stripped away. But he was seeing clearly again.
“I’m grateful to you for taking a chance on me, sir. And I’m truly sorry that your faith was misplaced.”
With that, he gathered his few belongings and left.