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Her eyes snapped back to his—wary, hopeful. “And then?”
He didn’t know. The only thing hedidknow was that he wasn’t ready to walk away from her.
Once Lopez was out of the picture, then maybe he’d figure out what a future with Gia could look like.
Trust, he’d learned, could be a weapon. He’d seen how his father had twisted his mother’s love until it became a noose around her neck.
That would never be Gia’s fate—not with him. He’d rather cut out his own heart than see fear in her eyes because of something he’d done.
She needed to see every day, with every action, that she was safe with him. That she’d always have a choice.
“You’ve gone awfully quiet.” Gia’s soft murmur jolted him from his thoughts.
“Just thinking.”
“About what?”
He turned onto her street and pulled into her driveway. Scanning the area, he checked for unfamiliar vehicles. Movement. Anything out of place from this morning.
Nothing jumped out, and his sixth sense remained blessedly quiet.
Throwing the gear into Park, he reached over and trailed one finger down the soft skin of her cheek. “You.”
Her eyes deepened to a midnight blue. “I’m what put that serious look on your face?”
He loved the way her voice got all breathless when he touched her, like she’d run up a set of stairs.
His lips gave a slight tilt. “I’m always serious.”
Gia laughed. “True. You definitely have a poker face. How are you at cards? We could go to Vegas.”
“Don’t gamble. I like to make sure the odds are always stacked in my favor.”
His gaze raked the front of her home. Windows and doors closed. No obvious signs of tampering. He’d have to take a closer look, ofcourse. “I need to figure out how to stop Lopez without risking the people in this community.”
“You shouldn’t try.” Her fingers slid along his forearm to cover his hand. She squeezed. “He only came after you because of me. You’re not the one he wants.”
The hunted look he’d seen when they first met slid into her eyes. “If I leave”—her grip on his fingers tightened when he shook his head—“If I leave, everyone here on the rez will be safe. You’ll be safe.”
Hell no.
“You won’t be.”
“Caleb, you could have died today. It’s a miracle you didn’t.” Gia’s eyes glistened. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. I don’t want anything to happen to the people I’ve come to care about.”
His stomach did a somersault. When he’d first learned she was fleeing her ex, he’d thought the best thing for her was to leave. Then, when he realized who her ex was, he wanted her to stay.
As bait.Zach had been right to call him out.
“This is your home. You’re needed here. The people have accepted you, and they don’t welcome outsiders easily.”
“What about you?” She paused, licked her lips before those big blue eyes peered into his soul. “Would you ever consider this your home? Will you allow yourself to get to know your family? They’re good people.”
He thought about his answer before giving it. He’d already staked his claim. Might as well be honest.
“If I were to consider staying here, it wouldn’t be for the Blackwaters. It would be for you.”
Chapter Eighteen