Page 26 of Courting Danger

“Damn it, Alex. Why?” He stepped forward, crowding into my space.

I took a step back. “What’d you mean, why?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Anger sparked within me like the lightning still hiding in the clouds above.

How dare this man demand even more answers, forcing me to retreat like I was some soldier to be ordered around. I shoved at Garrison’s chest, managing to put a little space between the two of us.

“I don’t usually have to explain. As soon as people hear my name they know what’s up. It’s not my fault you’re ignorant.”

Garrison’s hand flew into the air, gesturing haphazardly at the horizon. “I’ve been serving overseas for the last twenty years. Sorry I’m not up to date on the names of my local mafia.”

Pain flashed across Garrison’s face and his arm dropped to his side. He schooled his features back into righteous anger, but he couldn’t hide the way he gripped his arm.

He was still injured from their fight at the aquarium. A dark stain slowly spread over his suit as blood seeped from the knife wound just above his elbow.

On instinct I reached for Garrison, but the other man pulled back.

Garrison sighed and his anger disappeared. Instead, the lines around his eyes deepened into a look of exhaustion.

“You assumed I recognized your name. I can accept that. But you must have eventually realized that I didn’t know. That’s the part I’m having trouble with.”

Finally, Garrison abandoned his perfect posture and braced both hands against the railing. Blood from his wound dripped down his arm and smeared over the wood.

“The more I think about it, the more it doesn’t make sense. Either you were stupid enough to think your identity wouldn’t matter, or you thought I was stupid enough not to notice. And I know you’re not stupid, so that only leaves one option.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was probably my mother wondering what was keeping me.

As subtly as I could, I hit the ignore button. I could only deal with one problem at a time.

If Garrison noticed the interruption, he didn’t react. In fact, he barely seemed to see the marina laid out before us as he stared into the middle distance.

“Was it fun watching me make a fool of myself? I knew you weren’t serious about me. Why would you be? But I thought I was at least a player in your game, not a pawn in it.”

The phone buzzed again, and I didn’t bother hiding it as I hit ignore. I was being pulled in too many different directions. I could barely hear myself think inside my own head.

“Shut up.” I shoved Garrison hard enough to make the man stumble back a step. “I have too many things to worry about. I can’t handle your judgment as well. Don’t make assumptions about me. You don’t know what I’m serious about. Now, get in the car. We’ll finish this conversation once we’re safely at the house.”

I turned to head for the open car door still waiting for us, but after a few steps I realized Garrison hadn’t followed.

The man stood with his head bowed, staring at the patch of sidewalk where I had just been standing.

“No.”

I drifted back to Garrison’s side. “What do you mean no? You can’t just say no.”

“I mean I’m not going with you. I need... I need to leave.”

At the last moment, I remembered the wound on Garrison’s arm and diverted my aim. Instead, I grabbed Garrison’s wrist to tug him toward the car.

“You’re my bodyguard. You can’t just leave. Come on.”

“No.” Garrison easily pulled out of my grip. “You’re certain that your mother isn’t the one trying to kill you, right? Then you should be safe with her. I just... I need to think, and I can’t do that around you.”

Before I could stop him, he turned and walked away. Only a bloody handprint remained behind, staining the railing in the place where he once stood.

My phone buzzed again.

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