Page 46 of Consumed By You

“It’sfantastic.It’s just…” I explore the space around us. “You don’t have any pictures up of your family? There’s nothing of you in this place, apart from the fact that it’s beautiful.”

His mouth curves timidly as he sits on the bed. “I just don’t.”

Evasive. Always so evasive. I sit next to him, leaning my head against his wide shoulder.

“I don’t make memories, Darcy. I never have. My business is what I live for.”

“We have a lot in common. It’s kind of scary.”

“How so?”

“We both push people away.”

We sit together in comfortable silence and he doesn’t have to answer for me to know he agrees.

“I don’t want to push you away, Darcy,” he confesses softly. “Don’t let me.”

My pulse speeds double time at his desperate plea. I move back slightly to look at him, seeing what I expected to. Worry. Fear. Happiness. Wanting.

So much wanting.

Again, that’s something we have in common.

***

“So you still haven’t told me about your enemies,” I say, studying Benjamin’s face as he twirls a lock of my hair absentmindedly. We’re sprawled out on the floor next to a roaring fireplace. The clock by the hallway reads ten-thirty. I know I have to be getting home soon; I have work in the morning. We’ve barely touched each other tonight but I’m okay with that. It’s been nice to just talk, get to know him. His life is so interesting.

“I know I haven’t.” He smiles wide, his features completely free of worry for once.

“Well?” I press after a moment of ogling him.

He sighs. “This is confidential, Darcy. Agreed? This isn’t something you can—”

I scowl at his warning, resenting the deep sense of authority in his tone.

“Do you think I’d go run off and tell someone about this, Ben?” I could never betray him like that. When he doesn’t respond, I’m left blinking in disbelief. “You know, it’s getting late.”

I start to heave myself up, but he pulls me back down to his level. His expression is apologetic.

“I don’t trust easily, Darcy. I’m sorry. I know you wouldn’t.”

“You don’t have to tell me, Benjamin, if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“I don’t have a choice. You’re my assistant, you need to know.” He props himself on his elbow and bites down on his lip contemplatively, his brows creased in thought.

“A year ago, I was in the process of dismantling a company. LandCorp. The owner, Henry Dower, was going bankrupt, although at one time, the company was exceedingly fortuitous in the market. Selling to me was his best choice, no matter how much he denied it. One day I walked into my apartment and his son was waiting here with a gun, saying we were harassing his father, forcing him to give up the one thing in his life that he loved. I tried to calm him down to stall until Dimitri made it up, but I couldn’t. He shot me.”

Holy shit. My choked gasp is the only other sound that fills the room except the burning embers of the fire. “No.”

He scoots away from me and pulls up his shirt, exposing his lower back to me. Sure enough, there is a small, pale scar just below his ribcage.

“Oh my god…Ben.”

I reach out to touch him but stop myself, not knowing how he’d react. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He turns back to me, a small smile on his face.

“I see where you’re coming from about this job being dangerous now.”