AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I get to my room and change into a sweatshirt, jeans, and a pair of tennis shoes that are appropriate for beach walking. When I get back downstairs Ben is in the lobby, staring up at some Neo-Impressionism art that hangs above a sofa. He sees me get off the elevator, walks my way.
“Get your phone call made?”
“I did. Felt a little bad for not walking you up.”
“No worries. We can hit the beach this way.”
Ben jumps ahead of me at the double doors, pulling one open and stepping to the side. Suddenly a gentleman. Cool air bites me and I pull the sleeves of my sweatshirt over my fists as we walk away from the hotel and into the dark night, directly between two giant boulders toward the sound of crashing waves.
We haven’t walked ten seconds when I trip over a rock jutting from the ground. Ben steps ahead of me, holding out a hand. With the moon behind him, I can’t see his face. Reluctantly, I slide my hand in his. It’s dry and warm. Aside from my dad, Rigger’s is the only male hand I’ve held. And I always found comfort in that genuine gesture.
There’s nothing genuine about what’s going on out here tonight.
Well, actually, there is. I genuinely want information and Ben genuinely wants something from me. Whether he’ll admit what he wants remains to be seen. He hasn’t even asked if I have kids he can sell on the black market.
My teeth chatter a few times, and I shudder.
“Gets cold out here this time of year. You going to be warm enough?”
He doesn’t know it’s the company, not the weather, making me shiver. “Oh yeah, I’m fine.”
“That Phoenix blood of yours has to run pretty thick.”
Another mention of blood. His only redeeming quality at this point. “I’ll adapt. I always do.”
“Ah, a girl who likes change.”
“Or change likes me,” I say, stopping at the water’s edge.
He sidles next to me, kicks some sand around with his boot. His presence feels heavy. “I really do feel bad about not going with you to your room.”
“Why is that?” I study his profile—rugged chin, strong jaw, prominent nose. Too bad such a good-looking guy has to be the wrong kind of predator.
“Guess I wanted to talk some.”
“A guy who wants to talk. This is a first for me.”
“Yeah. For me too.”
I spin on my heels and walk south. The moon follows us, water sparkling from the corner of my eye. What can I say that will make him want to open up to me? “What’d you want to talk about? Because we can do that here.”
Sliding his hands in his pockets and dropping his head, he’s really playing the hell out of the sympathy card. “I don’t find it easy to talk about my son. I just didn’t want you to take it personally.”
“I don’t. There are plenty of things I keep private. I wouldn’t want you to take it personally that I don’t carve open my chest and show you my broken heart and all the scars that are there.”
When his gaze swivels my way, that pulse between us beats again. I felt it at his sister’s house and I don’t know what it means. But he’s the first kill I’ve gotten this close to. Spent time with. Granted, Ben is no longer a kill. But still …
“You’re way too young to have scars all over your heart.”
“A lot of things can happen in twenty-one years.” I glance his way, feel him weakening, like maybe there’s a slight chink in his armor.
“Maybe. I don’t have any scars on my heart as you put it. Not that I haven’t been hurt. I just don’t hold onto it.”
“Everyone has scars.”
“Hmmph,” he grumbles.
I move in front of him, put a hand on his chest, forcing his eyes to lock with mine. “Everyone, Ben.”
