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“I hope you never find out.” He looks at me as I wait for more, then exhales slowly, his shoulders dropping. “It was… long. It felt long. And with all those men? Some days, it… fucking stank.” He cocks a brow and smirks.
I press my hand to my lips to hold in my giggle, and he uncrosses his arms and pulls my hand away.
“You have a beautiful smile. Don’t hide it.”
I freeze, staring at him as he holds my hand, lowering it to the desk inside his. His eyes don’t meet mine, they’re on my hand in his. Fair skin held by bruised and scratched knuckles. He still hasn’t explained what happened to him yesterday. And the more I consider how it is he got hurt, the more my mind has been running away with me. Jasmin said he’s good, that he was protecting her that night he assaulted that guy. Was he protecting someone again last night? Or protecting himself?
My first day here I overheard him on the phone. He was angry and said something about pigs.Cops.But it could be nothing. I mean, whywouldhe like the cops? They locked him up when he was looking out for his sister. And the more time I spend with him, the more I see what Jasmin says and am inclined to believe her when she says he has the biggest heart.
You have a beautiful smile. Don’t hide it.A shiver runs through me.
Dax clears his throat. “I never meant to upset you yesterday. But we work together. And I’m not a man you should want to know any more about than the basics required to do your job. It’s better this way. Believe me.”
What if I’m wrong and he’s right? What if there is a darker side to him I’m better off not knowing?
But despite the conviction in his voice, his eyes tell a different story. Their deep brown shines with genuine remorse as he looks at me. And my gut tells me he’s wrong.
He might think he’s bad, or think he needs to tell me he is. But he did one thing to protect someone he loves. Other people may judge him for it. But I’m finding it hard to let him paint that picture of himself no matter how much he thinks he needs to.
I lift my chin. “I don’t believe you. I’m sorry, but I don’t. You don’t see what I see in you, either.”
His gaze remains on our hands as he traces circles over my wrist with the pad of his thumb.
“You don’t know me. Not really.”
“I know you’re a man who protects his family. Who would do anything for them. That you run an incredible, successful business, which you’ve already doubled the profits of since you came back to work. I know that your staff trust and respect you.”
I wait for him to say something.
His eyes dart up to mine before he looks away, a crease furrowing deep into his brow as he presses his lips together, deep in thought.
He lets go of my hand and places it onto the desk.
“Keep the mirror, Rose.”
He pushes off from the desk and strides out of my office.
“I can’t believe you told him you’ve only had sex once. And it was with Gareth.”
“I know. I feel so stupid.”
“Oh, Ro.” Casey shakes her head at me as we have our daily catch-up video call.
I don’t know what got into me the other night. I think it was seeing Dax hurt, and then seeing all his tattoos. It felt… intimate, I guess. I’m not usually one to overshare, but with Dax, it pours out. Maybe it’s because he listens. He stops talking and helistens.I don’t recall Gareth ever listening like that. But then, we were younger, and it was before Brett’s accident and before Dad died that we were together. Maybe I had less that I needed listening to back then.
And I cannot believe I leaned so close to him, thinking he might kiss me.Hopinghe might. I’m not even sure how I feel about him. I have no idea what’s going on in his head. He blows so hot and cold. Yet, in that moment, all I wanted was to see how it would feel to have more than just his hands on me.
I shuffle in my seat. The way his fingers flexed against my hip bones while I cleaned him up, wrapping around me and holding me like I was precious. Like I wasn’t a total screw up.I wanted to keep feeling like that. And more.
“I know that face, Ro. Are you still wondering if he’s in some sort of trouble?” Casey asks.
“No… Yes,” I say with a sigh.
I told Casey about the blood. She thinks Dax must have gotten into a fight. And it makes sense. Someone hit him, judging by his cheekbone. But Jasmin said he barely goes out to bars anymore. And he hadn’t even had one drink as far as I could tell. Which means it wasn’t a stupid drunken fight. But something else.
“Maybe it’s an underground fight club,” Casey suggests.
I adjust the phone on the car’s dashboard so I can see her better.
