Page 28 of Protecting What's Mine
My heart stutters, and I drop my fork onto the plate with a clatter. “Oh,” I manage, my voice suddenly small.
He grins, clearly pleased with himself, and stands up straight again. “What do you think about that?”
I recover quickly—or at least try to. “Well, that depends. What kind of work are we talking about?” I ask, forcing my voice to sound steady. “Does this ‘work’ have anything to do with my dad?”
His smile fades slightly, and he nods, his expression growing more serious. “Yeah. I need to check in with Dean, make sure there haven’t been any threats.”
“Against my father,” I say softly, pushing my plate aside. “Or against me?”
He exhales, running a hand through his dark hair. “It’s precautionary. Nothing to worry about.”
“But you’re worried,” I point out, watching him carefully.
Ranger doesn’t deny it. Instead, he comes around the counter, stopping in front of me. He rests his hands on the edge of the counter on either side of me, caging me in gently. “It’s my job to worry,” he says, his voice low. “And I’m going to keep you safe, Tory. Always.”
His words hit me straight in the chest, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. He says it so simply, so fiercely, like there’s no questionabout it. And that’s what Ranger is—steady, unshakable, dependable in a way that I didn’t know I needed.
I look up into his eyes, my voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you.”
He stares at me for a long moment, something unreadable flickering behind his dark eyes. Then he straightens up and takes a step back, his lips curving into a small smile. “Go get dressed. We’ll figure out the rest of the day after I check in with Dean.”
I nod, sliding off the stool and brushing past him to head to my room. But even as I close the door behind me and lean against it, my heart is still pounding.
Stay in bed with me all day.
I press a hand to my chest, feeling the thud of my heartbeat, and let out a slow breath. I don’t know what’s happening between us, not really, but I know one thing—I don’t want it to stop.
I want to hold onto this, whateverthisis. I want him.
And for the first time in my life, I think I might be brave enough to admit that.
Chapter 13
Ranger
The safe house is quiet as I head into the small back office, leaving Tory to finish getting ready. I close the door behind me and let out a breath, running a hand through my hair before pulling out my phone to call Dean. The room is sparse—a wooden desk, a single chair, a landline phone that no one uses—but it serves its purpose. I settle into the chair, elbows on the desk as I dial Dean’s number.
The call connects after a few rings, and Dean’s gruff voice comes through the line. “Ranger. About time you checked in.”
“I told you I’d call this morning,” I reply evenly, though the hint of impatience in his voice sets me on edge. “What’s going on?”
Dean doesn’t waste time. “There’s been chatter. More than usual. Something about the Summit. We’ve intercepted talk about a group who doesn’t like Malser’s message or his methods. They’re radical and unpredictable, and I’m starting to think they may escalate.”
The words aren’t easy to hear. “You think they’re planning something against him?”
“Possibly,” Dean says, his tone grave. “But here’s the thing—it’s not just Malser they’re targeting anymore. There’s mention of family, people close to him. If this group’s serious enough to stop him from speaking, they might go after the daughter to send a message.”
My jaw tightens, and I grip the phone harder. “Tory.”
Dean exhales on the other end, the sound like static. “That’s why I need to check in with you. Is she okay? Have there been any issues?”
“No,” I say quickly. “No issues.” My voice comes out sharp, clipped. I know Dean hears the edge in it, but I don’t care. My mind is already running a mile a minute, playing out every scenario.
“Good,” Dean says. “But stay sharp. If the chatter’s picking up, it means we’re getting close to something. I don’t want any surprises.”
“Understood.” I pause, pressing the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. “What’s being done to protect Malser at the Summit? Is he covered?”
“He’s got top-level security surrounding him, but it’s still a risk,” Dean says. “They’ll be watching closely for anything out of the ordinary. Your job is Tory. You keep her safe no matter what. Got it?”