Megan didn’t like to share much with me. Getting personal had been an ongoing battle, so she probably wasn’t going to tell me what was going on. But there was no way I was going to walk away from her place and leave her to spend the night alone. Not with those guys out there.
“Hey,” I said softly, touching her waist like she wasn’t holding a gun. “Are you okay?”
She worked to swallow and failed. She couldn’t even look me in the eye.
“Scratch that,” I said. Megan was skittish, like a mare ready to bolt at the slightest thing. “May I hold you?”
She drew in a sharp breath as I slowly tugged her against my body. After a moment, she exhaled and rested her forehead on my shoulder.
“I didn’t like the looks of those guys, baby doll.”
She sucked in another ragged breath, held it, and released it slowly. Her body was still and taut as a bowstring ready to be plucked. She held her gun, so no way was I setting her off.
“You don’t have to tell me what’s going on, but I’m not leaving you tonight. There’s just no fucking way I’m walking out that door.”
“Hayes.” Her voice sounded strangled like she was trying to keep from crying.
I cupped her nape and kissed the top of her head. “I’m not leaving,” I said in my most stubborn tone. I may have let her set a million boundaries to keep distance between us, but if she tried to send me away, I’d have to say no.
She pulled away and walked toward the bedroom. The pistol was still in her hand, and her shoulders sagged. I followed behind, a deep furrow between my brows.
Whatever was going on with her went so much deeper than I’d imagined. I’d thought she had relationship issues. Maybe a crappy ex-boyfriend had fucked her over. Made her think having no relationship was better than being in a shitty one. But this was different. Really fucking different, and I recognized it not because I was a man, but because I was a soldier. I knew bad shit. I’d seen it. Fought it. And she had active trouble. Criminal trouble, by the looks of it, and I strongly suspected her life was in danger.
She didn’t turn the light on when she got to the bedroom, but she did strip out of her clothes. I stood there, watching in the dim light, trying to figure out what the fuck to do.
The men were gone. For now. I’d ensure her security system was online. She had her weapon. She had me. She was safe.
But for how long? What was she involved in? How could I solve it? To make all her problems go away?
I needed to get Kennedy to pull the feed from her security system and run the faces of those assholes. And run the plate number I’d memorized.
As soon as Megan finished stripping, she came to me and unbuckled my belt. I hissed when her knuckles brushed over my lower belly on their way south.
“No talking,” she murmured, grasping my dick in her small hand. She pumped it once, and she was gifted with a spurt of pre-cum.
Okay. Fine.
This was what she needed?
Yeah, okay. I’d give it to her. I’d always give her that. Nothing could stop me from satisfying my woman. I wasn’t sure if she was doing this to distract herself or to distract me.
In this moment, it didn’t matter. She was turning to me. Staying with me. Finding solace or distraction in my body.
I’d fuck her until she forgot all her problems. As her man, that was my job. But it was also to protect her and take care of anything that kept her from smiling. Later, I’d text Kennedy and check the perimeter. And Megan wasn’t leaving my sight until I had this shit figured out. Whether we were naked was up to her.
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
MEGAN
After sex, I kicked Hayes out. He talked a good game about staying the night, but after I told him not to talk, I’d dropped to my knees. I figured he couldn’t ask any questions if he was too focused on his dick in my mouth. I certainly couldn’t answer any. When I’d swallowed the last drop of his release, he’d lifted me and tossed me onto the bed, returning the favor.
He hadn’t wanted to leave, but there was no way in hell I was doing pillow talk. He’d given in, but I could tell he hadn’t been happy.
Too bad. I wasn’t happy either. He’d seen Burns and his men. He was smart, but a preschooler could tell they didn’t belong in Sparks. I didn’t want him knowing anything about this, about Burns or my dad or what I was up against.
Hayes was a Navy SEAL–he fought for his country. Served for the freedom of others. He had honor and deserved respect. I may be serving my community now, but it was because I was repaying a debt to society. I always knew my past might jump up and bite me in the ass, and it seemed that tonight it had. So, keeping my distance from Hayes was no longer just an inclination–it was a full-blown need.