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She nods her understanding as she takes another bite. There’s something on her mind. That much has been obvious when I came home and found her looking guilty as hell. But I’ll let her come to me when she’s ready to talk about it.

I’ve already been pushy. It will only make her more likely to run if I keep it up.

“Is Killian your full-time security?” she asks, trying her best to appear conversational, but I see right through it.

She’s digging.

“No,” I reply. “He has a few other clients that he works with, although he does spend the bulk of his time with me.”

She bobs her head in understanding as she scoops another bite of pasta into her mouth. God, has it always been erotic watching a woman eat? Or is it just this woman?

“Do you know much about his other clients?”

I busy myself with my own food, giving me a chance to think through my answer. I’ll need to warn Killian that she might ask him some questions the next time he’s here, but until then, I can skate around the truth without outwardly lying to her. It won’t be long before Ember knows exactly who I am, and I don’t want to throw fuel onto the fire by adding to the lies the foundation of our relationship is built on.

“He’s bound by NDAs,” I explain. “Sometimes I get a funny anecdote out of him about one of his other jobs, but he doesn’t really give names.”

There. That wasn’t an outright lie. Well, it was. But it was one I can live with.

Ember nods, but I don’t miss the way she frowns down at her food.

What has my little flame uncovered?

And how close is she to finding out I’m the man that killed her brother?

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

EMBER

Iescape the kitchen as soon as I can, telling Orion I need a shower and locking the door behind me.

I’m under no illusions that he can’t get into the bathroom if he wants to, but I’m hoping the unspoken request for privacy is enough that he leaves me be for a while.

I turn the shower on as hot as my hand can handle and make quick work of stripping out of my clothes. I’m so ready for this shower because I’m fucking gross.

The mixture of mine and Orion’s cum is still dried on the insides of my thighs because I was too tired last night to do a thorough job of cleaning up, and in the time since my last shower someone has attempted to kidnap me and someone else has trashed my apartment.

Yeah, it’s been a really fucking long twenty-four hours.

The moment I step into the steaming hot water, I tip my head back and allow it to soak through my hair. The best part of having shoulder-length hair is that it’s easy to dry and style, which means I’ve never had to stick to a strict hair wash schedule.

I scrub my body and hair twice to rid myself of the lingering feeling of filth on my skin before leaning against the wall to give myself time to breathe.

A few weeks ago, I was a thief with PTSD and a mountain of debt to a man that was more than happy to exploit me for every dollar I’m worth.

And now I’m…I don’t even know what I am.

I’m overwhelmed for sure. I’m exhausted and scared.

But I’m also pretty sure I’m falling in love with Orion, and the thought of that is fucking terrifying.

I’ve never loved anyone aside from my brother. I’ve never even had close friends that I could say I loved. The feeling is foreign and terrifying. But it’s also warm and all-consuming. Orion makes me feel safe even when I’m not. Even as my entire world falls apart, it doesn’t feel so bad because I have him holding my hand.

“Fuck,” I whisper into the streaming water. This could go one of two ways, and I hate to think how broken I’ll be if he decides this is all too much for him.

Which he won’t, right?

I mean, he has a closet full of clothes he’s purchased for me. He’s been seemingly all in from the start, even when I was hesitant to continue things between us.