I glance at the envelope, wondering what the hell it could contain.
She sobs and fists her hand at her chest. Her voice goes up in pitch as she continues, “He wasn’t even dead, Mace. He refused to let me call an ambulance. Said it was too late. I couldn’t leave him like that. I hurried over to the safe to do what he requested, but by the time I turned around, he was gone.” Another desperate sob escapes her lips. “His eyes were still open. Frothy white stuff was coming out of his mouth. He wasn’t breathing. I’m going to have nightmares…if I ever sleep again.”
Jesus. Fuck.
Autumn resumes crying. I can’t blame her. The fact that Captain Burke has been murdered is enough to make me emotional by itself, but having his daughter here, so broken, causes me to choke up.
I pull her into my arms again. “You did the right thing, sweetheart.”
“He-he trusted you,” she murmurs. “More than anyone alive.”
I close my eyes and breathe deeply. I’m both honored and concerned.
“He told me not to speak to a single soul. Come straight here. All I brought with me are my purse and this envelope.”
Leaning her back, I look into her eyes. “He wanted you to be safe, sweetheart. That was his top priority. And you are. I promise. I’m so glad you made it here. I don’t know who the hell would have a vendetta against your father, but I will find out. In the meantime, you’ll be protected.”
Autumn grips my arm. “I can’t believe he’s gone. It’s like I’m living in a nightmare. I sat rigid during the entire flight, trying to maintain my composure so I wouldn’t draw attention to myself. I haven’t slept. I haven’t eaten. I feel like I’m two seconds from collapsing.” She sobs again. “And I left my father lying dead on the floor in his office without calling the police. Who does that?”
The angst in her voice breaks my heart. “You did exactly what he asked you to do, Autumn. I’ll send some men to your father’s house immediately. Everything will be handled.”
She glances around. “Where will I go? What am I supposed to do?”
“You’ll stay with me. I’ll order some clothes for you. You need to eat something and get some sleep.”
She chews on her bottom lip, hesitating before speaking again. “I can’t ask you to do that. I’m disrupting your life.”
“You’re not disrupting anything, Autumn. Your father was the most important role model I ever had. He was the first person I knew who gave a fuck about me. He turned me into the man I am today. I would do anything for him. But you’re not a stranger, Autumn. I’ve known you for years. I would do anything for you, too.” I’m not exaggerating. My own father was a total deadbeat. My mother did the best she could to provide for me, but we lived on a shoestring budget, and I had no male role model until I met Burke.
She sniffles. “I can’t just stay at your place, though. Don’t you have a girlfriend? I don’t think she’d appreciate that.”
I shake my head. “I don’t have a girlfriend, Autumn.”
She licks her lips and frowns. “Why not? Why aren’t you married? Aren’t you like thirty-five? Surely women have been vying for your attention for almost twenty years.” She says all that in rapid succession.
I smirk. “I don’t think they’re banging down doors, sweetheart. And I’m not married or in a relationship because I haven’t met the right woman.”
Is that true, though? It’s total madness to have this thought at this moment, but I feel like I’m staring at the right woman. She’s in my office. She’s in my arms.
It’s not as if this is the first time I’ve had such a thought. I spent a week at Captain Burke’s house last year. Autumn was on summer break between her junior and senior year of college. She was living at home and working full-time.
Before that, I had seen her a handful of times when I happened to be in Indianapolis and stopped by to see Burke. Though I’d always heard about his daughter, I didn’t meet her until the summer before she went to college. And that was a good thing because, holy shit, she took my breath away. The attraction was instantaneous—at least on my part. Autumn is the entire package. It took every ounce of willpower for me to tamp down my reaction and keep my thoughts to myself. I was thirty-one; she was eighteen.
I didn’t say a fucking word about my feelings to her father, nor did I give her any indication I was lusting after her. It wouldn’t have been appropriate. Captain Burke was my friend, my mentor, a father figure. I don’t think he would have taken kindly to me flirting with his daughter at any point in the past four years.
And yet, he sent her to me today.
That doesn’t mean a thing, though. He insisted she come here because I work for one of the most trusted security agencies in the country. I’m in the business of protecting good people and hunting down bad people.
I will guard Autumn’s life if it’s the last thing I do. I will also find out who killed her father and make them pay.
Moving her into my apartment is a no-brainer. Now I just need to somehow manage to do so without letting my dick make any of my decisions. She would probably punch me if she knew the kind of dreams she’s starred in. Both day and night.
Autumn Burke needs my help. She’s not here for me to make a move on.
I will keep my cock in my pants, my hands to myself, and my lips away from her creamy white skin.
On that promise, I flinch, because I’m already touching her. I still have my arms wrapped around her. I need to take her to my apartment and help her get settled in. It’s imperative that I extricate myself from the grip she has on my arm and get this ball rolling.
