Page 27 of My Fallen Saint

“Oh, I hear things. I don’t think he’s quite the horndog the tabloids would like to make him.”

An unwelcome wave of relief crashes over me, because why the hell should I care anymore?

“But he’s not a monk, either,” Lamar says. “And even there, he’s private.”

I nod thoughtfully, wishing the thought of a parade of women through Alex’s bedroom didn’t grate on me like fingers on a chalkboard. Shouldn’t. Care. Remember?

After all, he isn’t even Alex anymore. He’s Devlin Saint, and I need to keep remembering that.

Lamar snags the last of the six donuts we’ve devoured. “Pretty softball questions for a hard-ass reporter.”

I roll my eyes, but otherwise ignore his snark. “One more thing. What did you mean when you said he paid for the privilege of privacy?”

“Oh, you know. He throws his money around town. That earns him some respect. Keeps him out from under the microscope.”

“Like?”

“The library renovation, for one. And the park that abuts the foundation and extends down to the tidal pools. The foundation not only donated the land, but also pays all the maintenance for the park. Saves tax dollars. Might just be a community relations maneuver, but it’s still a great park.”

“I thought the foundation’s mission was big stuff. Like funding humanitarian organizations around the globe. That kind of thing.”

“Yeah, it does that. But he’s gone on record saying that part of doing good works is to watch the backs of those around you. I remember the press release he issued when the DSF financed the creation of the park. He said that he fell in love the first time he came to this town, and that he wants to make sure—”

“Fell in love with Laguna Cortez you mean.” My pulse is pounding, and I feel hot all over.

“I’m sure that’s what he meant, but it’s not what he said. I remember thinking it was an odd way to phrase it.”

“Oh.”

“What?” He crumples his paper cup. “You think it means something?”

“No, no. What could it?”

But I can’t help but wonder if it means everything.

“I need to run,” he says as he rises. “Be gorgeous for me. I have my standards, you know.”

“I’ll give it the old college try,” I say, tilting my cheek toward him as he bends to kiss me.

I stay a bit longer, thinking back to last night and Alex. Dangerous, he’d said. And he’d told me that I needed to leave.

I thought he was trying to scare me away, but maybe I was wrong.

Maybe he was trying to protect me.

But from what?