I swallowed a thick bite of waffle, my appetite vanishing by the second.
“It was really the virus that was the biggest concern. Kate was infected, and somehow she survived.”
“How did she get infected?”
“You know,” she laughed nervously. “Crooked senator, rogue FBI agents…the usual. They tricked her and injected her.”
She nearly died. Kate—the same woman who took me in and helped Rob at the mansion in Colorado. And she seemed so normal, so well-adjusted. How did they all live like this?
“Look, I get that this is a lot to take in, but these are good guys. The best,” she said earnestly. “They fight hard and love harder. I can guarantee that you’ll never find anyone who will go the distance for their families the way these guys will.”
“I’m sure,” I said, twirling my fork in the syrup. “But see…I’m not sure I’m cut out for RPGs and kidnappings,” I chuckled, all humor fleeing my body.
How did it get to be like this? Yes, the adventure with Rob was fun and interesting, but did I really want to live like that? Not even a little. They made my small life in Montana seem like a dream.
“Rob is a great guy,” she tried again. “Honestly, he’s one of the best.”
I smiled at her, but the more she tried to talk me into it, the worse I felt. This felt like a huge mistake, and as I stared at my waffle, I tried to find any reason that I should stay out here and make this work when I already had so many reservations.
The only reason I could come up with was that I was falling for Rob.
And I wasn’t sure that was enough.
37
ROB
I’m notsure I’m cut out for RPGs and kidnappings.
Her words echoed in my head over the next couple of days. I did whatever I could to make things as normal as possible, giving her the life that I knew she wanted. But it seemed the more I tried to make this work, the harder it got.
When she wanted to go to the grocery store, Knight insisted we tag along.
There are dangers everywhere. You’re going to let her walk out of the house with no protection?
Unfortunately, he said that in front of her. I explained it away, trying to make her feel better, but her unease as we walked through the store was hard to ignore.
Then there was the day she accidentally set off all the alarms on the property when she thought she was adjusting the thermostat.
In actuality, she hit the emergency alarm, signaling she was in distress and under attack. Yeah, it was a little awkward when half of Reed Security burst through the door, and she stood there in her sleep shorts and tank top, sans bra.
Tonight was going to be different. We were going out on a date in town, where normal people ate every day. No one ever shot them or stormed into the restaurant to catch an enemy.
It would be just the two of us.
“Ready to go?” I asked, eyeing her up and down.
She was absolutely stunning in a green dress with thin straps and high heels. Fuck, why did we have to leave?
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay home?” she smirked.
“Fuck, yes, I do.” Striding over to her, I slid my hand around her waist and pulled her flush against my body, skimming my nose down her neck as I inhaled the sweet scent of vanilla.
Groaning, I pulled back. “Dinner. Then the rest.”
“We don’t have to go out,” she chuckled.
“Hey, I can go out and do normal things. I do them all the time.”