His gaze roamed over her again. “You’ll fit right in, don’t worry.”
She swallowed against the heat flaring in his eyes. She began to wonder if maybe she would indulge in that heat when this was all over. When the case no longer was the most important thing on the table.
She shook her head.Stay focused.
He took a seat on her couch. “Just give me a moment.” He rolled up his pant leg, revealing his prosthetic limb, and began making adjustments.
“Does it hurt?” she asked.
He shook his head. “At first, there was a lot of muscle soreness as my body adjusted to walking with the prosthetic. But now, it’s just a bit itchy.” He scratched at it briefly, relief evident on his face, before repositioning the leg and standing up once again.
“Do you ever get angry about losing your leg?” she asked.
“No, never.” He stood up and looked at her closely. “Does that surprise you?”
She shrugged. “I suppose, a little.”
“Who should I be angry at?” he countered.
“The government for sending you into that fight or the person who caused the explosion?”
He held her gaze, and she saw a softer look in his eyes that she hadn’t noticed before. “I don’t know who set the explosion, and I would go back there in a heartbeat without hesitation.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “I lost my leg because I went back to save a little boy. I didn’t regret it then. I don’t regret it now.”
Emotions welled up, seeming to collect in her throat, making it hard to speak. “Did you manage to save him?”
“I did.”
“But at the cost of your leg... and your career?”
He closed the distance between them, and she saw a side of Hawke that she had never seen before. “But the boy survived.” He walked toward the door and then turned back to her. “Are you ready?”
“Yeah, let me just grab my purse.” She picked up her clutch from her table and followed him out the door, seeing him through new eyes.
In most cases, when she saw someone through a lens, she saw the bad. But not Hawke. As the layers of him unraveled, she began to see a man worth trusting.
She wasn’t exactly sure what to do with that.
When they reached Hawke’s truck, he turned back to her. “If at any moment you’re not comfortable tonight, tell me, and we’ll go.”
She smiled. “Thanks. I’ll be fine.”I hope.
An hour later, the nervousness was still tightening her throat as she stepped through the heavy doors into Phoenix. A heady mix of nerves and excitement coursed through her veins like a drug as they entered the employee sitting room, intoxicating and empowering her all at once.
“Ah, Penny, there you are,” Rhys called, striding toward them from the bar. “Are you ready for your introduction?”
“Of course,” Penny replied, masking her nerves.
“Excellent.” Rhys said.
Just as she went away, Hawke reached for her arm, holding tight. “Don’t forget what I said. If you want to go, we can.”
“Thanks.” She smiled, letting go of any nerves and sliding into her role tonight to befriend Julia.
As she stepped into stride with Rhys, her senses were assaulted by the sights, sounds, and scents of Phoenix. He ordered her a glass of wine and handed it to her once the bartender delivered it.
