the screen. “Didn’t I make myself clear?”
“No one hangs up on me. I wasn’t finished.”
“What more is there left to say?”
Footsteps sounded and I strained to hear.
“You know more than I’m comfortable with. Work for me, behind the scenes. Show my men what you know so they can place you accordingly. I won’t take you away from your girl more than I have to.”
How tempting his offer was.
“I…can’t. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me. I’m more understanding than you think.”
Not that understanding. I’d bank on it. But if I did fill him in a little, would it help in the future? After he found out about Lily and me? And he would find out. It was only a matter of time.
“My family is very powerful and corrupt. They’re bad people. I want out. To do that, well…you know what that entails. Right now isn’t a good time. When I came to talk to you, I meant to tell you I would need a few months before I could start. That’s probably longer than you’re comfortable with waiting.”
Silence and then the faint sound of more footsteps. Was he pacing?
“Doesn’t that put your girl in danger?”
I swallowed hard, taking a right turn, leaving enough space between Lily and me.
“Yeah, but she’ll be safe until I can get everything to fall into place.”
“Sounds really risky to me. Don’t you think she’d be better protected if you had people that had your back? My men would.”
Fuck, he was making this impossible. No wonder he was good at what he did.
“Let me think on it.”
“You have three weeks to contact me with the status of where you’re at in your head. If I have to track you down again, so help me, I’m going to be pissed. That’s never a good thing, Zane Collins.”
“Three weeks. Fine.”
“Good. Oh…and Zane. Good luck with your family. I hope you’re around to make things work, for your girl’s sake.”
The line cut out and I pushed the phone back in my pocket. I sure hoped for her sake it worked out, too. If I could remind her of what we shared, open her eyes to the fact that I was still the Master who loved her, she’d wait for me to come back from Afghanistan. And she’d be safe doing that back here with Slade. But then what? Would I be able to convince her brother that we were meant to be? Would he try to keep me away for good? No.
Lily was the one for me, regardless of how we met. I’d fight for her. Kill for her. And I’d be damned if her brother was going to take her away from me again. I’d like to see him try. Slade may have been powerful, but it wouldn’t compare to the wrath I’d bring if he tried to separate us for good. With Lily on my side, I found it hard to believe he would. It all came down to me convincing her.
Chapter 6
Lily
What was I doing? The restaurant doors loomed before me, but for the life of me, I couldn’t get myself to walk through them. Had that been my Master? From the small distance between the buildings, I was sure it was. But, then…I couldn’t be certain. He wasn’t standing there for long. It had to be someone who resembled him. Zain never wore suits. He had always been dressed in dark clothing when he returned from his missions. It was nerves that were causing me to see things. It had to be.
“You okay?”
Brace’s voice had my heart rate slowing. I turned, giving him the fake smile I’d become used to. “Great. I was just thinking.”
“You sure? We can take you home if you’re not feeling up for this.”
I took a step backwards toward the door. “No, I’m fine, really. I shouldn’t be too long.”
At his nod, I turned and forced myself to continue. My skin tingled and I couldn’t get over the fact that I was being watched by more than my guards. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end and I shivered as I headed through the entrance.
“Lily Roberts here for Alec Brighton.”
The hostess threw me a wide smile. “Right this way, Ms. Roberts.”
My fists clenched repeatedly as
“No one hangs up on me. I wasn’t finished.”
“What more is there left to say?”
Footsteps sounded and I strained to hear.
“You know more than I’m comfortable with. Work for me, behind the scenes. Show my men what you know so they can place you accordingly. I won’t take you away from your girl more than I have to.”
How tempting his offer was.
“I…can’t. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me. I’m more understanding than you think.”
Not that understanding. I’d bank on it. But if I did fill him in a little, would it help in the future? After he found out about Lily and me? And he would find out. It was only a matter of time.
“My family is very powerful and corrupt. They’re bad people. I want out. To do that, well…you know what that entails. Right now isn’t a good time. When I came to talk to you, I meant to tell you I would need a few months before I could start. That’s probably longer than you’re comfortable with waiting.”
Silence and then the faint sound of more footsteps. Was he pacing?
“Doesn’t that put your girl in danger?”
I swallowed hard, taking a right turn, leaving enough space between Lily and me.
“Yeah, but she’ll be safe until I can get everything to fall into place.”
“Sounds really risky to me. Don’t you think she’d be better protected if you had people that had your back? My men would.”
Fuck, he was making this impossible. No wonder he was good at what he did.
“Let me think on it.”
“You have three weeks to contact me with the status of where you’re at in your head. If I have to track you down again, so help me, I’m going to be pissed. That’s never a good thing, Zane Collins.”
“Three weeks. Fine.”
“Good. Oh…and Zane. Good luck with your family. I hope you’re around to make things work, for your girl’s sake.”
The line cut out and I pushed the phone back in my pocket. I sure hoped for her sake it worked out, too. If I could remind her of what we shared, open her eyes to the fact that I was still the Master who loved her, she’d wait for me to come back from Afghanistan. And she’d be safe doing that back here with Slade. But then what? Would I be able to convince her brother that we were meant to be? Would he try to keep me away for good? No.
Lily was the one for me, regardless of how we met. I’d fight for her. Kill for her. And I’d be damned if her brother was going to take her away from me again. I’d like to see him try. Slade may have been powerful, but it wouldn’t compare to the wrath I’d bring if he tried to separate us for good. With Lily on my side, I found it hard to believe he would. It all came down to me convincing her.
Chapter 6
Lily
What was I doing? The restaurant doors loomed before me, but for the life of me, I couldn’t get myself to walk through them. Had that been my Master? From the small distance between the buildings, I was sure it was. But, then…I couldn’t be certain. He wasn’t standing there for long. It had to be someone who resembled him. Zain never wore suits. He had always been dressed in dark clothing when he returned from his missions. It was nerves that were causing me to see things. It had to be.
“You okay?”
Brace’s voice had my heart rate slowing. I turned, giving him the fake smile I’d become used to. “Great. I was just thinking.”
“You sure? We can take you home if you’re not feeling up for this.”
I took a step backwards toward the door. “No, I’m fine, really. I shouldn’t be too long.”
At his nod, I turned and forced myself to continue. My skin tingled and I couldn’t get over the fact that I was being watched by more than my guards. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end and I shivered as I headed through the entrance.
“Lily Roberts here for Alec Brighton.”
The hostess threw me a wide smile. “Right this way, Ms. Roberts.”
My fists clenched repeatedly as
Similar Books
