Chapter 11 #2
Her shoulders slouched with relief. He wouldn’t find anything—she’d been a ghost. The last records he’d be able to pull were from when she was still working with wreckage vessels five years ago.
“Okay.” She started to turn, preferring to go distract herself with confused feelings about Chris Hunter than face an inquisition from A.J. Hawkins.
“Rory, you know you can trust me. If you’re in danger . . .” He removed his sunglasses, showing his brows pulled tight. A stern big-brother look on his face.
“I’m safe. I’m also living in the home of a Navy SEAL. I’ll be fine. He can protect me.”
“I know that, but I don’t like the idea you might need protecting.” He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Concern continued to pour out of this man.
She’d never forget the time one of the linebackers from their high school football team got a little handsy at a senior party.
She’d only been a freshman, but A.J. had been there, and he’d done some damage to the guy.
She didn’t want to imagine what her brother, who was prone to fighting, would have done had he been there that night.
A.J. had more restraint. The kid might’ve died if Jesse had gotten his hands on him.
Fortunately, the Army helped tame her brother some, thank God for that.
Over the last ten years, she’d gotten used to defending herself. Plus, she had martial arts skills and four guns to aid in that protection. But she wouldn’t deny the fact she did feel safer with Chris down the hall.
And yet, last night, he worried she’d feel threatened given his nightmare.
I have to tell Chris. Even if no one were to discover her past, or came for her, she still owed Chris the truth if she wanted a shot at something more with him.
She knew that much in her heart. He deserved all of her, not just the bits and pieces she felt were safe to share.
But how the hell would she start that conversation, and would he turn on his operator-mode switch and want to solve all of her problems? He had too much to worry about already.
“I’m fine,” she insisted and removed A.J.’s hand from her shoulder. “I’m not that fourteen-year-old girl anymore.”
“You’ll always be family.” His hands went to his back pockets once again. “Just promise me you’ll let me know if—”
“I’m not Supergirl. If I need help, I’ll ask.”
He scrunched his brow, continuing to observe her. “Jesse also mentioned Andrew Cutter would be in town this weekend, and he sent you an invitation for some fancy event on Friday.”
“For the love of God, I’m gonna whack my brother in the head the next time I see him.” She huffed out a breath, removed her hat, and slapped it against her outer thigh. “He’s always up in my business.”
“Aren’t you up in his, too?” A.J. challenged, a smile sneaking onto his lips.
The man thought he was so smart. Well, for such a smart guy, why’d it take A.J. years to see the tension between Ella and Jesse? The kind of tension that usually ended with people getting naked.
“Why are you asking about Andrew?” She positioned her hat back on and peered over to see Chris and Elaina running with Bear.
And if that wasn’t a sight to see, she didn’t know what was.
Elaina’s long hair flew behind her, and she was smiling with arms spread open, catching the wind as she ran. Chris was acting as though he couldn’t keep up. Pumping his arms but moving slower, pretending to be fatigued so Elaina would beat him in whatever race they were partaking in.
Bear would obviously be the winner, but when he looked back to see Elaina, even he slowed a little to let her catch up. Awwwww.
“You going to have kids?” she asked.
“We were talking about Cutter.” A.J. wasn’t going to let her off the hook so easily. “I think Jesse is worried he might offer you another gig.”
She crossed her arms and faced him. “I would never take another job with Andrew. Plus, I’m committed to Bear right now.
” Bear, not Chris. But in her heart, she already knew that was a lie.
Today, at least, she was committed to them both.
“He probably invited me because it was my research that most likely enabled him to find that ship in the first place.”
“Wait, really? And you don’t get a cut?” he asked in surprise.
“Don’t want one.”
He considered her words in silence, then asked, “So, you’re not going to the event?” He arched a brow. “Ella said you might go.”
Damn you, too, Ella Mae, she thought with affection. “She thinks I need to officially close some metaphorical door on my relationship with Andrew.” She waved a dismissive hand between them. “The invite was for four people. Hey, if I do go, you and Ana should come with me.”
“Fair warning, I have specific instructions from your brother to punch Andrew if I see him.” He held a palm in the air. “There’s a best friend code I’m obligated to follow, so you see, I’ll have no choice.” He placed his shades back on. “But it looks like you are thinking about going.”
“And why don’t you like Andrew? Same reason as Jesse? Because y’all think he stole me from Bama and put me in danger?”
And his sunglasses were back off again. “You have scars on your back from being whipped because the man got y’all abducted and beaten on a gig after only your first year working with him.” His scowl grew.
And you helped Jesse exact revenge on those men. “That wasn’t Andrew’s fault. Freaking real pirates still exist. What can I say? Comes with the territory. And it was his million-dollar promise to them that got us free.” She shrugged as if it was no big deal.
“I have other reasons I don’t want you to go. Well, one reason.” A.J.’s tone was softer this time, but still chilly enough to cause frostbite.
“What?” She set her hands to her hips and studied him, even though she wanted to return to watching the race out back.
“Chris likes you. I’m sure that’s obvious to you. But Chris doesn’t let himself like a woman. Not the way he likes you, I mean.” His mouth pinched tight as if torn about revealing more. Worried he’d betray Chris or something.
“And you think I’ll hurt him?” She blew out a shallow breath of unease. “Ella already warned me not to do that.”
“The thing is,” he said while pinching the skin at his throat, clearly uncomfortable, “I’m not sure how Chris would handle a woman he cares for leaving him again.”
Again.
Her stomach dropped.
Her heart squeezed.
She closed her eyes and took a moment. “He told me about his mom.”
“He did?” A.J. asked abruptly, surprise in his tone.
“And about his PTSD.”
“His what?”
She blinked her eyes open at the realization she’d just betrayed Chris. No, no, no. How did A.J. not know that? “Ignore that, but um, yeah, he told me the story behind why he joined the Navy.”
A.J. dropped his attention to the ground, his jaw tight beneath his beard. “So, you know that he’s never put himself out there before, too afraid to allow himself to fall in love because a woman might leave him the way his mom did. I mean, he hasn’t said this specifically, but it’s obvious.”
Chills erupted across her skin, and she pulled down her rolled-up sleeves in search of warmth.
“Why am I different?” She knew the answer.
She’d felt it in their kiss last night. An undeniable connection between them from the moment they met that went way beyond the physical, and no amount of trying to sell herself on the idea that what she felt was only lust would work.
“You really need to ask me that? You’re a kick-ass woman.” He allowed a brief smile to sit on his lips before his gaze journeyed back to Chris, Bear, and Elaina. They were setting up an obstacle course, and Chris had a big, fat tire over his head. His biceps flexed as he carried it.
“I don’t want to hurt him,” she said softly.
“But, you’re afraid you will?” He faced her, shades concealing his eyes again.
“I won’t take off for a gig.” I can’t. I don’t have a choice.
“But?”
“But there are no guarantees in life. Just because I don’t want to hurt him doesn’t mean it won’t happen anyway.” She frowned. “The timing right now isn’t great, though. So, I should probably keep my distance.” Until I figure out how to open up about my past.
A.J. reached for her wrist and gently pulled her around to face him when she’d started to pivot away. “That’s not what I want,” A.J. said with a shake of the head. “I didn’t say that.”
“He’s one of your best friends. And you rely on him having a clear head when you’re working a job. You’re just looking out for him. It’s okay.”
A.J. angled his head. “And I’ll always look out for you, too. You know that, right?”
She nodded, emotion choking her up. “Why’d y’all recruit him to join your company?” she asked when her attention moved back to Chris navigating the obstacle course with Bear and Elaina.
“Ain’t it obvious?” He pointed to Chris as he went to his knees, and Elaina wrapped her arms over his shoulders.
Chris hoisted her up as he stood, carrying her on his back as he completed the obstacle course.
“In the field, you need to know someone will have your back. In a split-second decision, you gotta know they’ll have the team’s best interest at heart.
” He glimpsed at her from over his shoulder.
“But Chris also has everyone’s back when we’re not operating.
He’s the guy making sure everyone is solid.
Eating. Happy. Never alone.” He fully faced her. “What’s this about PTSD?”
“I don’t think it’s my place to say,” she whispered.
“But he’s strong like you said. Caring and compassionate.
” She chanced a look at her friend, not sure if he’d let this go.
“I’m going to go join them, but thanks for the talk.
” She started for the backyard, but A.J.
called out her name, and she halted. When she turned, she found him on her heels.
“Rory, Ella might be right,” A.J. began, his voice soft. “Sometimes, you gotta shut one door if you want to open another one, especially if you’re looking to open the right one.”