Page 29 of Protecting Talia

“It’s nice to meet you. Have you and Zip been together long?”

“Um…”

Talia didn’t know how to answer that question, so Zip changed the subject. “Did you two enjoy your trip?”

Wolf and Caroline both nodded. “Very much. Why don’t you all come over next weekend?” Caroline asked.

Zip hadn’t ever been invited over to Wolf’s house. Caroline wasn’t just smart, she had emotional intelligence and the desire to care for injured women. He’d heard about how she took different women under her wing and helped them. It would be something special for Talia. Plus, being invited into Wolf’s inner sanctum was special.

“Sure. That would be very nice of you,” Zip said. He wasn’t sure Wolf wanted him over, but he knew the man trusted his wife.

“Thank you. Are you sure?” Talia asked.

Zip knew her hesitation was more about protecting strangers from her past than a lack of desire to go.

“Yes, very sure,” Caroline said.

“I’ll call you this week with the details,” Wolf said.

Zip pulled out his phone. “I don’t know that you have my number.”

Wolf chuckled. “If I don’t have it, I can get it.”

Zip didn’t doubt for a moment that Wolf could get everything on him in a matter of hours. The man was a legend, and everyone wanted to work with him or be friends. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know it was always best to stay on Wolf’s good side.

“Awesome, we’ll see you next weekend.”

He finished shopping with Talia, and they were in the car on the way home when she spoke up.

“So that guy, Wolf, he said he could get your number. How can he do that?”

“He used to be a SEAL, and he’s friends with a lot of people.”

“So you don’t think he’ll try to get a background check on me, right?”

They were almost home, so he waited to answer until they pulled into the driveway and stopped the car. “If Wolf ever found out, I can guarantee he would never hold it against you. He’s not that kind of man.”

Talia scoffed. “Most guys are that type of man.”

“Well, Wolf isn’t. He would never hold your past against you even if he couldn’t tell you were too young to have consented to that stuff.”

She sighed and shook her head. He reached over and turned her head so she was looking at him.

“Trust me.”

Her shoulders dropped before she nodded. “Okay. I’ll trust you. But it’s going to be difficult if any of them say anything.”

“I know. And they won’t. They’ll all behave.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Being decent.”

A little piece of him died inside. She’d been through so much shit all because of her sister. It was time Talia experienced something good. And he wanted to be the man to deliver it to her.

19

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