Page 51 of Stone
Meanwhile, I was like a raging bull prepared to gore anyone who dared come close.
When she said nothing, her way of giving me space, I took another deep breath and tried to calm down. “I’m sorry, Dani. You don’t need to hear any shit right now.”
“Why? Are you so worried that I’m fragile and can’t handle the truth?”
“I don’t know what the truth is or if there’s anything to your kidnapping other than greed. I just don’t like being placed in the position of not knowing the facts. That’s how people get killed.”
She turned just enough she was easily able to look at me in the shadowed twilight. “Yet against difficult odds, you saved me. It was like some crazy thriller movie where you knew the hero would rescue the damsel in distress and the bad guys would be shoved aside like toys.”
“Only they weren’t actors. They abducted and beat you. That’s not acceptable.”
Her laugh was full of emotion. “You were always my hero.”
“I’m not anyone’s hero.”
“Oh, yeah? Didn’t you already tell me you saved hundreds of lives during your time in the military?”
“That was different.”
“How so?”
Now I was the one laughing. “That was my job.”
“That you wouldn’t have done if you didn’t feel a love for your country and for saving innocent lives.”
I took a swallow of my drink as I thought about her comment. “They weren’t always innocent.”
“That’s what really bothers you. You don’t like saving anyone you don’t think deserves to be saved.”
“Not that simple.” I thought about the countless life-saving measures we’d taken to keep leaders of foreign countries alive, their beliefs certainly different from my own.
As she moved closer, the heat between us swelled. When she dared placed her hand on my arm, I closed my eyes as every muscle tensed. “Nothing in life is truly as simple as people would like you to believe, but there are almost always reasons for actions people take or decisions made. Sometimes, they’re out of our hands. Sometimes, they’re for the greater good of family or friends, even countries. And sometimes…” She hesitated and squeezed her fingers around my forearm. “And sometimes the reasons are based in corruption. However, that doesn’t mean we need to change because of their beliefs.”
“I’m not so sure.”
“Maybe what happened is you stopped believing in yourself. As I said before, I can’t imagine what you went through wherever you served in the military. But I do believe the experience changed you. Just don’t allow the memories and nightmares to alter the man inside.” She reiterated her point by pressing the tip of her index finger against my chest above my heart. “Because that man is amazing.”
Right now, I didn’t feel amazing. Not by a long shot. I gritted my teeth until my jaw hurt, unable to say anything in response. What could be said?
Her sigh was exaggerated and she folded her fingers while immediately taking a step away. “Thank you for everythingincluding a wonderful dinner. I haven’t enjoyed salmon so much in years. If you don’t mind, I’m going to go to bed.”
“Sure. Have a good night. One thing, Dani,” I said, stopping her before she ventured off.
Her shoulders tensed and she didn’t bother turning around.
“I gotta do some work over the next couple of days. When I’m out, you need to stay at the house. Being on the deck is safe, but we’ll go over some security protocols in case we have an unwanted visitor. I picked up a burner phone you can use in case of an emergency. Just limit who you contact. Your father is okay, but no one else.”
“Can I at least go to the beach?” Her tone was filled with contempt. I noticed she was twisting the ring absently while she refused to blink. A promise ring. Who the hell had I been thinking I could make such an assurance?
“Only when I’m here. But I won’t be gone more than a few hours at a time.”
“From one prison to another.” She wasn’t accusing me. She was reliving her entire life if only for a few seconds.
And suddenly, I felt like her captor instead of the man who’d promised that one day we’d be together.
CHAPTER 14
Stone
