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Noticing her gasp and then purr, I remind her she’s gonna have to get used to a lot of things.
Including stretching out that sweet, slick little valley you flashed me earlier.
“You said you had a security business,” she says quietly, thinking things over and making me change the subject from her to me yet again.
“You really want the whole story?” I ask, not wanting to go over it ever again.
Living it was bad enough, but she has every right to know. Especially seeing as I’m being so demanding of her secrets.
I’ve never behaved like this with anyone, ever. I’m only being so damned possessive over her because I know she is my one.
The chance I’ve waited my whole life for. We both have.
Glancing over, and knowing how long a drive we have for food, I can tell she’s patiently waiting.
“I was in business with a friend, my oldest friend. Since we were kids really,” I begin, already sensing she knows this story doesn’t have a happy ending but her eyes flash in the rearview mirror, urging me to go on.
“We ran our security firm together, more than twenty years. Until now.” I correct myself. Going quiet as the steering wheel creaks under my grip.
“Wh-what happened?” Becky asks. Sensing my mood but needing to know herself by now.
“He’d been robbing me blind for years,” I sigh, breathing out the words, hoping to be free of them forever. If only it was so easy to be free of the truth.
“I turned up to the office one morning and there they were, the IRS, the cops. The whole circus was there, walking out with all our computers, files, and most things I owned.”
“So he got caught, right?” she asks cautiously and I scoff a bitter laugh.
“No,” I growl. “I listened to his sob story, begging me to take the rap for some tax stuff so he wouldn’t lose his house. He has a wife, kids.” I let her know and she makes a little noise of understanding.
As if it makes any of it right.
“So you have to pay back some tax?” she asks wearily. Trying again to grasp the situation, but like I’ve found it myself, it’s not so easy to take in all at once.
“Once they started digging, they found more than tax evasion. There was fraud, fake checks, and bogus accounts all in my name and used for all kinds of illegal stuff,” I tell her, trying not to sound so bitter and angry but I just can’t help it.
“Somehow,” I continue, “Matt made it look like I was stealing from him. Like I was the bad guy, but what he really is though is a con artist, plain and simple. I fell for his act for a lifetime. Never wanting to see my best friend for what he truly was. Is.”
“An asshole?” Becky ventures, making me smile just from the way she says it.
So true, and she’s never even met the guy. I wished I had her smarts twenty-plus years ago.
“So…” she continues thoughtfully, looking up as if she has to choose the right questions from somewhere in front of her. “How does all that tie in with you working at the club?”
It’s a fair question, and I answer it in one word. “Probation.”
She makes a face. A little like the one I probably made in court listening to the judge before he explained it all.
“It means I have to do what the court says, for as long as they say it and keep my nose clean, or I go back to court and I’m sentenced to a prison term,” I tell her, instantly feeling her hands grip my arm.
“Noooo,” she cries out.
I hook an arm around her, pulling her closer.
She really cares, someone in this world actually gives a fuck what happens to me.
Fuck.
I feel something in my chest. Something like hurt but only because it’s so heavy. So deep.
It’s not a bad feeling. Just intense.
Like if she let go of me right now I’d reach right out for her again, never letting go.
Not ever again.
“You okay?” she asks after we drive in silence for a bit.
I could tell her all my feelings, how all this and meeting her has impacted me, but I don’t, not used to feeling this way or at all.
I grunt and let out a low growl, squeezing her closer as I drive to show her just how okay I really am, now that she’s by my side.
I might never be that guy who says or does sappy romantic things. But by god, I’ll look after her. Defend her with my own life if I have to.
My belly lets out a low and prolonged rumble, like a whale song echoing through a tunnel.
We both let out a laugh and I figure Becky’s gonna say what we’re both feeling.
