A haunted look crossed her face as though she was remembering terrible things. “I did that for far too many years.”
She needed to be independent in a way others didn’t. Of course, her version of independence was just being able to walk on her own. Over the last few days, he’d gotten to really know her. He’d done dumb tourist crap that should have him pulling his hair out, but he’d looked at the world through her eyes and had to admit that he’d had fun.
She’d stood on the beach at Dover, marveling at the cliffs in the distance. They’d gotten something to eat, and she’d talked about how hard it had been in the hospital. He wanted to keep her safe, and she needed a little freedom.
He was walking a very thin line. He wanted to lock the door and never let her out, and it would crush her right when she was starting to find herself.
He stepped back. It wasn’t his place to lock her up. Well, not for more than a couple of hours and only for play, but he couldn’t do it on a permanent basis. “Lunch it is then, but promise me you’re going to do those exercises we talked about.”
She groaned. “You are a hard taskmaster.”
He’d read up about her leg. She needed daily conditioning to stay strong. He needed her to be strong. “Yes, I am. I’m serious. Daily workouts.”
She grinned up at him. Her smile kicked him in the gut every time. “As long as you promise to take off your shirt and work out with me.”
“You’re going to get spanked for that saucy mouth.” He lightly smacked her ass, cupping it afterward. “Go get dressed. I’ll take care of everything for tonight. You just have to stay out of trouble today.”
Tomorrow was another issue all together. And tonight could prove troublesome. He’d hidden for four days. He’d sank himself into her and forgotten for a brief moment that he was lying to her and manipulating her. And he’d avoided all those nasty questions about the past and about Ian.
He sat down and watched as she started getting dressed. He acknowledged the truth. He’d started to think about becoming Lee Donnelly. He could leave McKay-Taggart and just become the man she thought he was. His cover would hold. He actually was quite good with his hands. He could legitimately work as a contractor. He could be the man Avery was falling in love with.
She hadn’t said it, but it was there in her eyes. He wasn’t sure he could say the words back, but fuck, he wanted to hear them. He was a greedy bastard when it came to her. He wanted everything.
If she found out he wasn’t who he said he was, what would she say? Would she run from him?
Maybe the best way to handle it was to never let her know. Ian would let him go. He was fairly sure of it. If Ian wouldn’t then Liam would get enough shit on him that he would.
What the hell was happening to him that he was thinking about leaving behind everything he knew?
Avery slid into her little kitten heels. She rarely wore anything past a one-or two-inch heel. “Hi ho, it’s off to work I go.”
“Give me a minute and I’ll walk with you.” He reached for his jeans.
“Lee, you don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.” He needed to. He needed to stay close. She’d started out as the op, but he was beginning to wonder if she wasn’t the only thing worth protecting now.
He dressed quickly and stuck close as they headed out toward Liverpool station. When he dropped her off, he thought seriously about just waiting outside her building for noon to roll around, but his watcher was still close. With a weary heart, he made his way back to Avery’s. It was the only place where he wouldn’t have eyes on him.
It was time to start figuring out just how screwed he was.
Liam nodded to the doorman as he walked through. Avery had placed him on the approved list, and he now had a key card into the building. Once he was back in their flat, he could get on his computer and start trying to find anything he could that would prove or disprove Simon Weston’s story.
The elevator doors closed. Like most lifts in London, it was a tight fit. When he was with Avery, she had to stand close. He’d thought seriously about stopping the lift in between floors and having his way with her. He would shove her skirt up and free his cock and fuck her hard and fast. By the time he let the lift free, she would be clinging to him. Pleasure wiped her out. He loved how limp and sated she looked after he’d wrung an orgasm out of her.
The doors opened on the proper floor, but before he could step out, a fist came flying toward his face. He’d been distracted, thinking of Avery, and he barely had time to sidestep the fucker. He ducked, his instincts taking over. He rushed the guy, leaning over and going straight for his gut. Adrenaline started to pump through his system, thrumming through his veins as potent as arousal. Avery wasn’t around so he could use a good fight. When he couldn’t spend himself on her, he would take a little blood.