They’d have torn apart every shred of innocence and love she had left for this world.
I stalked up to her and grabbed the zipper.
“What… what are you doing?” she squeaked as I pulled it all the way up to her chin.
“Covering you up and keeping you warm.”
“It’s not that cold.”
“Yes, but you’re that exposed.” I didn’t stop at the zipper. I pulled the hood up over her head and tucked some of her hair into it. “You were too exposed in that truck. I can’t have that on me.”
Her eyes narrowed and she searched my face. Her hand came up to it and she smoothed my jaw. “I think my grandma was right about you. You want to do right by everyone.” Then she shook her head and pulled away. “I don’t need you for protection, Bastian. You shouldn’t have the burden of all your father’s wrongdoings on you. My grandma shouldn’t have put my safety on you either.”
Why did her saying that make me actually want to do it? I knew she was right. I knew her life didn’t fall on mine. Yet, in my business, everything fell to me. I had a family that relied on me too.
“Blood and lives had been on my hands since the day I was born.”
No one had ever said they weren’t. For her to do so made me care for her in a way I shouldn’t have. She was a tiny little storm but she could turn into a tsunami for me. I could so easily care for her and I didn’t want that.
We’d started on a beach, sharing a moment. Here we were again, sharing pieces of ourselves we shouldn’t have.
I stepped back. “Let’s just get this ball rolling, huh?”
“Right.” She nodded, her hand dropping to her side. Then, she pointed to the food truck, now just a few feet away. “Well, I can stay here for a few more nights and clean it up.”
“Stay where?” I stared around. She couldn’t really think she was staying in that tin box another night. Not after what happened. I gave her the opportunity to change her mind.
“Well, I need to clean it up and it’ll give me time to–”
“All you’ve been given is time.” The words burst out of me. “You’re not staying there even if I have to drag you to our place today.”
She blinked as her mouth dropped open.
“I swear to God, Morina. I’m not in the business of being told no. I make efficient and reasonable demands for that very reason. I’ve been more than gracious with you.”
“Gracious? You’re asking me to move in with you in a week’s time and then marry you when I don’t know anything about you.”
I dragged my eyes up and down her body. “You know a few things about me.” She’d pushed my buttons and instead of taking the mature route, I pushed hers back.
“Oh, screw you! That was supposed to be a one night stand and now we’re in a once in a lifetime hell together.” She stomped her foot. “I need time.”
“You don’t have it.” I glared at her. “You’re not staying in that food truck again in these next six months. You’ll be my untouchable soon, and I won’t risk your safety even if you’re willing to gamble with it. You’re too valuable.”
“What?” She crossed her arms. “Because of the company?”
“Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it?” Standing outside at the ass crack of dawn made it not so obvious for me, though. Was she something more to me?
“Will you find out who did this? I think they should be held accountable.” She glared at the mess.
“Yes. They will be.” They could have kidnapped her and that thought alone had me wanting to hold them all more than accountable. “I protect what’s mine. And that’s you. My fiancé.”
She huffed and pushed past me to her food truck. “Fine. But I’m doing this for my town. You know that, right? Otherwise, I wouldn’t do a single part of it. I’d donate these stocks. I’d get rid of the burden this is. It’s ridiculous that you’d do all this for money, Bastian. It really is.”
I watched her storm inside. She threw things into a bag, not paying me any mind.
I completely agreed with her.
Money didn’t matter.
For me, it was never about that.
It was about the family, about making my legacy something better than my father’s.
I breathed it and lived by it and suffered for it. I didn’t take my responsibilities lightly.
She would have to learn not to either.
I peered into her food truck to ask, “Would you like me to call Mr. Finley to tell him we’re engaged or would you like to?”
“Why don’t we just do it together?” She sneered. “Since we’re a couple now and all.”
It took patience to deal with that attitude of hers. I liked to think I had a little of it. “Tonight then. I’ll send Dante over here to watch your truck while you pack. He can drive you over when you’re ready.”
I left her at the food truck and called a driver so that Dante could stay with her.
As I stood waiting, I knew I’d have to deal with finding the men who did this. The respect of my family and Morina’s life was at stake.
The uncomfortable feeling that she could have been hurt didn’t go away when I called Cade to tell him that I wanted action taken against those who’d wrecked her truck.
“What type of action, bro?” He chuckled. “It’s not like we’re going to throw them in a river. We haven’t used force in a long time. I’ll talk to the syndicates in the area to make sure they’re aware you’re now engaged.”
“See that you do.” I pulled at my neck and tried to get the kink out of it before the next words fell from my lips. “And, Cade, I want an example made. Use some force this time. She could have been seriously harmed.”
My brother didn’t say anything back for a moment as I heard rustling on the line. “You okay, Bastian?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine once this shit is over.”
15
Morina
I needed more time on the water or just on my own.
Nothing felt the same.
Bastian looked at me like suddenly the weight of my safety was on his shoulders and nothing about that sat right with me.
He’d been exposed to something so different in his life. I could see it when he looked over my food truck again and shook his head, the way the line between his brows deepened when he called someone to make sure there were eyes on me.
I didn’t know how they accomplished any of it or how I was going to deal with people following me around for the next six months but I knew I had to try.
I waved to Bradley as I pulled my board up and hooked it to my truck. He ambled over, water droplets still falling from his dark hair. His sculpted body flexed as he rubbed the hair back and forth, trying to shake it off. “You opening the truck soon?”
“Nah, not today.” I stared at the window, contemplating how I’d put across my closing. I should have had a social media account or website to give those updates, but I figured it would have lost some of its small beach town charm.
“Well, that’s a shame.” He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the window with me. “What’re we looking at?”
“I need a sign that says I’m closing.”