“That’s horrible.”
“It happens all the time. The judicial system isn’t perfect, nowhere near it. Innocent people are locked away, while guilty people are roaming the streets. So my dad took matters into his own hands. He knew someone who knew someone and that someone led him to a man who makes it his business to remove the filth off the streets. Jeffrey Stark, the man who raped my mom, was taken out of this world one year after he was found innocent.”
I sigh in relief, even knowing how he was taken out.
“My father had just started up his importing business and in exchange for the guy taking out her rapist, he agreed to accept a shipment of illegal firearms from Japan. And that’s how it started. We receive mining and construction equipment from Japan, and when they come in, inside are firearms I sell to private companies whose purpose is to free the world of trash like the man who raped my mother.”
He brushes his thumb across my bottom lip. “I may not kill anyone like the guy from Arrow, but supplying them puts me in just as much danger. It was my dad’s thing, and like his other business ventures, I wasn’t interested in participating, but then they were killed and he left everything to me. And it felt like I owed it to him... to them.”
“That’s very selfless of you.” I wrap my arms around him and snuggle into his front, inhaling his fresh scent and syphoning his warmth. “You and your father are protectors. It’s why I feel so safe when I’m with you.”
“But this world is dangerous,” he murmurs, running a soothing hand down my back. “There are a lot of people who don’t agree with what I do, what I’m a part of, and they would like nothing more than to bring me down. We haven’t discussed it yet, but you being with me means by default you’re a part of this.”
“I don’t care.” I burrow myself deeper. “All I care about is being with you. I get some people have the ‘Don’t play God’ mentality, but I’m not one of them. Not everything is black and white. Look at my father. He’s in jail for fifteen years because the judicial system failed him.”
Isaac sighs into my ear. “Thank you for understanding. I’ve been holding off because you’ve been home with me, in our little bubble where it’s safe, but when we return, things are going to change a little bit. I need you to understand it’s because of what I do.”
I sit back and look at him. “What’s going to change?”
“Your phone and card came in, for one. So you’ll have access to the world and money. The phone has a tracker on it. It’s not to spy on you, but—”
“I get it.” I shake my head. “It’s to keep me safe.”
“Yeah. And your vehicle has arrived. Like my truck, it’s bulletproof. Any time you go anywhere on your own, you need to either drive yourself or let my driver take you.”
“Okay,” I agree. “Whatever you think is best.”
I kiss the corner of his mouth, expecting it to end there, but then Isaac kisses me back, harder, his tongue thrusting past my parted lips. “I can’t believe how well you took all that,” he murmurs against my lips. “I knew you were the one for me.”
His growing erection grinds against me, and my core pulses with need for him. I’m about to rip my shirt off, when Noah walks out, grumbling about getting a room.
Isaac laughs and lifts me into his arms. “Now that you’re out of my damn room, gladly.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
CAMILLA
“Girl, is that a Mercedes I saw you get out of?” Yasmin asks, enveloping me in a hug.
“It is,” I say, hugging her back. It’s been several weeks since I’ve seen her and I’ve missed her like crazy. Between the whirlwind romance with Isaac, him taking me away for my birthday, and me helping him at the office—he insisted I take today off to meet up with Yasmin—add in my weekly visits to see my dad, which Isaac now accompanies me to, it feels like the fast forward button has been pressed on my life and time is flying by.
“The thing is a tank.” I cringe, remembering the first time I drove it. Having been used to small, sporty cars, I ran over several curbs and Isaac damn near lost his shit, declaring me the worst driver ever.
“A sexy as fuck tank,” she sasses, as we walk over to the line to place our orders. I knew Isaac was getting me a bulletproof SUV, but what I didn’t know was that the SUV was a black on black Mercedes-AMG G 63. I should be annoyed he bought me such an expensive, over the top vehicle, but the thing is seriously badass—even if I can’t drive it.