Chapter 17 #2
He closed the distance between them and pulled her into his embrace.
“I know it’s a lot to take in. If you weren’t feeling scared or angry, I would think you were made of wood.
” He framed her face so that she had no choice but to look at him.
He wanted her total focus on him so that she could see that he wasn’t just saying words to make her feel better.
That he wasn’t blowing smoke up her ass.
“Whatever you believe, believe this—nothing, and I mean nothing, is going to stop me or the team from getting to the bottom of this. We will find out who is after you and why, and we will stop them.”
He kissed her, wrapping her tight in his embrace.
Isaac wanted her to know that she was important to him.
It may seem like it was fast, and it was, but she’d been a constant thought in his mind since their first encounter in San Carlion.
He’d dreamed about her. Had wished that things were different and he could’ve ignored the way she’d pushed him away and stayed.
There was no denying that there was something growing between them. Something strong and not to be ignored.
Isaac poured all of that into the kiss and hoped she understood it. They broke apart and he tucked her close to him.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked after a few beats of silence. “We hardly know each other. Why are you going out of your way to protect me?”
“I’m doing this because I want to get to know you better.
I’m attracted to you; have been since the first time we met.
Prior to running into you, I was drifting through the motions of living.
” Isaac shifted so that they were more comfortable on the couch.
He was going to bare part of the insecurities that were a constant part of his life now.
He didn’t believe Marie would judge him, but he couldn’t be too sure.
“For the last year, my life has been one of hiding and keeping a low profile. The years prior, I was pretending to be someone I wasn’t, but because I’d been doing it for so long, I lost myself.
I had to relearn to be Isaac Warner and not Javier Cortez.
Or Samuel Rodrigo. Or David Redcliffe. All the personas I’ve had to take on during the last decade.
With you I feel like I can be me, or the newer older version of me, before I’d become Javier Cortez. ”
By telling her so much, he knew the questions would come and the chance that when he told her everything he’d done, she’d turn her back on him and want nothing to do with him.
It was a risk he was ready to take, because he wasn’t going to be anything but truthful with Marie. No matter how unpleasant it was going to be for him.
“There’s so much to unpack there.”
Isaac rubbed his hand up and down her arm. “I know. And there’s probably a lot you want to know as well.”
Marie leaned back. and as much as he wanted to keep her close, he didn’t fight the movement.
“There is. Not only with all that you just said, but also with what I’m going to do now that it’s clear I’m the target and they know practically everything about me.
Where I live. Where I work, but I won’t let them take everything from me. ” Fire ignited her tone.
Everything about the situation was shitty.
There was no other way to describe it, but it wasn’t entirely unsalvageable.
“We’re not going to let them win.” He curled some hair behind her ear and touched the earring.
“We’ve got this for a start. We will always know where you are.
There is security at the hospital, but we can’t rely on them to be able to watch every single person who comes in.
Ideally, the best scenario would be to have someone working with you in the ER, but logistically that’s not something we can do easily. ”
Marie snorted. “Are you telling me one of the guys on the team has medical training? The ER is a different beast. The pressure is intense. Life and death decisions need to be made in a split second. It’s not for the faint of heart.”
“I know, which is why I said it wouldn’t be easy. I can watch outside and the surroundings like I did today, but someone could still slip in while I’m not watching. The lengths people will go to get what they want is staggering. And surprising.”
“Wouldn’t it be great if they decided I wasn’t worth the trouble. I mean what have I done to warrant this type of attention?”
This was the thing that Isaac couldn’t understand. Why Marie? What was it about her that they decided she was their target? “I wish I knew, but we will find out why.”
“All I guess we can hope for, is that they don’t want to draw attention to themselves by going after me when I’m at work.
I mean they could’ve come and done it today.
They followed us because of the tracker.
They would’ve known where we stopped. Trying to snatch me or harm me while I’m at work surrounded by dozens of people doesn’t seem like a smart thing to do.
” She looked triumphant as if she’d solved the problem, and while it wasn’t solved, Isaac had to admit that her idea did have merit.
“It’s a possibility that they wouldn’t hit you at work.
As you said, too many witnesses. Not to mention the security cameras the hospital has around the place.
” He wouldn’t mention that camera feeds could be messed with, so the people watching think they’re looking at a live feed, when it’s an actual looped feed.
“Maybe work isn’t as big a hurdle as we think it is, which means them knowing my apartment location is the next thing we need to sort out.
” Marie tapped her finger against her lips, drawing his attention to their plumpness, and the desire to sample them again almost had him trying to distract her.
“I won’t live with Mom and Dad, that’s putting them in danger and that’s not on. ”
This was his lead in. The moment where he could put forward the idea that was the only palatable one—at least to him, convincing Marie that it might be a good idea was another matter. “I think you should stay here, with me,” he clarified as if that was necessary.
Nothing about Marie’s expression changed. She didn’t look at all surprised by his suggestion, which he felt for sure she would be. He expected an emphatic no, before he’d even finished speaking. Yet she sat still, watching him, giving nothing away.
“Marie?” he asked when the silence seemed to drag on longer than necessary.
“I’ve been expecting you to say that.” She picked at the fabric of her pants as casual as can be.
“You have?”
Her gaze met his. “Yes.”
Isaac expected her to elaborate, but she didn't, she just stared at him. There was nothing malicious or annoying about her gaze, it was clear and open. “Okay, so what do you think of the idea then?”
“It makes sense. I’m assuming you were extra careful when you drove us here and ensured we weren’t being followed. That the car you’re now driving hasn’t got a tracker on it.”
“Of course.” This was too easy, and he didn’t know how to take her calm acceptance of the change of her living arrangement.
Why was he questioning it though? He’d gotten what he’d wanted.
Marie in his personal space and the time to convince her that what was growing between them, while fast, was pure and true.
That she wasn’t an assignment, that this was what he wanted.
Her in his home, for however long it was necessary.