Page 126 of The Defender

I was perfectly capable of traveling alone. I’d backpacked through Europe solo and taken spontaneous trips to the countryside by myself. I didn’t need company to have a good time, but this trip wasn’t a vacation. It was an emotional vortex, and I desperately wished I had someone here to hold my hand before I got sucked into the undertow.

I checked my phone. It was dinnertime in London. Maybe I should?—

Someone knocked on the door.

I groaned. I should’ve hung the Do Not Disturb sign on the handle.

I forced myself to my feet and walked over, feeling sluggish and restless at the same time. Hotels always did that to me.

I opened the door, expecting housekeeping, but the sight that greeted me was so unexpected that I had to blink twice to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.

Dark hair. High cheekbones. Devastating smile.

My jaw dropped. “Vincent?”

I blinked a third time, just to be sure. The solid outline of his frame didn’t waver.

It was really him, and he was really here.

The world tilted. Little bubbles fizzled in my blood, and if I weren’t caught in the gravity of him—of his presence, of that damn smile—I would’ve floated right off the ground.

“What are you doing here?” I asked faintly.

“I’m here to explore the great city of San Diego—which I’ve never visited, if you can believe it.” His gaze gentled, becoming more sincere. “And I’m here to be with you.”

“But…” My thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind. I reached for the nearest one, no matter how inane it was. “Today’s a training day.”

“Coach approved me taking today and Monday off.”

“But—”

“No more buts,” he said firmly. “You were dreading this trip. I couldn’t let you come without backup. You went to the Zenith dinner with me as moral support. It’s only fair I return the favor.”

“There’s a difference between going to dinner and flying to another continent.”

“A small one.” Vincent’s mouth tilted up in another smile. “But if you want to know a secret, the Zenith dinner was an excuse. I would’ve come either way.”

Just like that, all the loneliness and tension of the past few hours seeped away.

I fell into his arms, and for the first time since I landed, I could breathe again.

CHAPTER 34

VINCENT

Pulling off my surprise trip to California had been shockingly easy. I knew Brooklyn would try to talk me out of it if she caught onto my plans, so I hadn’t told a soul except for Coach. I’d expected pushback, but he’d approved my days off without further questions. He knew Brooklyn didn’t want to go, and he obviously didn’t have a high opinion of his ex-wife. Judging by the way he’d almost smiled when I told him what I was planning, he might’ve actually respected me more for what I’d done.

Coach was overly protective and hardheaded, but he genuinely cared about Brooklyn.

Her mother, on the other hand, was a different story.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Wilker.” According to Brooklyn, that was her new married name.

Brooklyn, her mother, and I were seated at a rooftop restaurant near the beach for brunch. Brooklyn had texted her mum to let her know I would be joining them and hadn’t gotten a response, but she’d brought me anyway.

“Please, call me Sienna. Mrs. Wilker makes me sound so old.” Sienna appeared unfazed by my presence, but her brows pulledtogether as she examined me. “You look familiar. Why do you look familiar?”

“I guess I just have that kind of face,” I said.