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“I have a huge case. With Lana. You met her. She’s counting on me to help her.”
He brushed my hair away from my face. “She will be in good hands. I admit, not as good as if you were her attorney, but still she will be taken care of. They all will. You have to put yourself first for a change.”
“And I should just walk away from the faculty position? Abandon my mentees?”
He smiled. “Let Addie have it.”
It was a long shot I’d get the position anyway. I had made certain of that with my last meeting with Max.
“I’m not a criminal, Vaughn. I protect the good. I go after the bad guys. That’s why I’m an attorney. That’s why I put so many hours in the clinic. It’s why I moved to D.C. It’s why I’m at American. I’m not a thief. I’ve never committed a crime—ever.” I felt the panic, boiling under my skin. I didn’t know if I could breathe. “What you’re asking is … crazy. It’s impossible. It’s … it’s…”
“Hold on. Hold on.” He gripped my shoulders. “Drink this.” He put a glass of water in my hand. “Take some breaths.”
I did as he told me.
“Better?” he asked.
“Yes.” My pulse was under control. I felt less likely to faint.
“Ok. Listen to me. I’m not offering you a job at Blackwing. That’s not what I do. I’m not asking you to be a thief, as you so kindly call me. And, yes I am asking you to leave your D.C. life, but I’m offering you a new one. One that I’m in. You will get to see your family again. You will get to go home. But I don’t know when. What I do know is that we’ll be together. And as far as I’m concerned that’s the only fucking thing that matters. Do you get that? It’s all that matters.”
I took an expansive breath. “And if I don’t accept your offer?” I searched his eyes.
“I won’t ask a second time.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Thanksgiving had never been my favorite holiday. It always felt as if it were an exaggerated Sunday. Too much football. Everything in the South was closed. It was a day my parents were forced to stay in the house together and celebrate the family they had created. My grandparents would drive over for the day.
Inevitably something would burn. Whether it was the crust on the pumpkin pie or the gravy my mother forgot was on the stove. And who knew how Garrett would handle the day.
When we were kids he would rather be outside on the swing set than inside with the bickering and wafting smells of turkey. I would wander out to find him. If I could sneak it, I’d play too, but I had to be careful not to let one of the monogrammed dresses my mother had bought get dirty. That was always a problem.
I didn’t think this year would be any different. Everything was planned. Garrett was bringing Morgan. My grandparents would drive for the afternoon. And at some point my father would call and ask if Garrett and I wanted to come over for a cocktail. I would take pity on him and confiscate leftovers to take to him. My mother had so many plastic containers she wouldn’t notice if a few were missing. It didn’t seem right that he didn’t have turkey and gravy on Thanksgiving.
But this year was different.
I looked up from my book at the waves lapping the shore of the speckled white and brown beach. They made a gentle rippling sound.
My jaw dropped when Vaughn emerged from one of the waves. His body dripped with salt water. He held snorkeling flippers in one hand as he shoved the mask to the top of his head. He grinned.
“How’s the book?”
He shook his head, spraying water over my hot skin.
“Hey,” I squealed.
He sat next to me, dropping the gear in the sand. “Is it any good?”
“Do you know the last time I read a book that wasn’t full of legal briefs?”
“So that means it’s good?”
I nodded, laughing. “Yes. It’s very good.”
“Good.” He planted a kiss on my lips. I moaned, tasting the salt on his lips.
“Do that again,” I purred.
