Page 29 of The Disputed Legacy

Eye for an eye.

Sometimes, that was all that had to be obeyed.

Once I’d beaten the men responsible for killing our Ivanov spies, though, I felt dirty and filthy. That burning rage at the loss of our men still ate at me, gnawing and chewing at my nerves like a live beast of hatred.

“Go on. Go home and get a good night of sleep,” Hugo advised later that night.

It was a line I should’ve been giving him, but I knew he meant it like an uncle might.

“We’ve been at this for a few days now. After a good night of sleep with those fuckers seeing our message, we’ll be ready to go after the last shooter.”

His reminder of how long we’d been focused on this incident wasn’t necessary. I knew we’d been putting all our attention on this because I hadn’t been to Tiny’s diner all week. Willow couldn’t be a priority when duty called like this.

Yet, she was the one “good” thing I wanted. The one positive part of my life that I wanted to embrace. She was shy, unhurried to let me get to know her, so maybe this little bit of absence was a blessing in disguise. Giving her space and time would help, not hurt, my efforts.

But it was too long.

I missed her, even though she was still so much of a stranger to me.

That was why instead of going home like Hugo assumed I might, so I could be well-rested for another long day tomorrow, I went the familiar path toward her workplace.

I arrived late, but she was still on the clock.

Pausing outside the diner’s front windows, I stood still and sighed, relieved and somehow happier and more at peace just to see her from a distance. She was a mystery to solve. A beauty who tempted. But I could just tell that she wasgood. With a good heart and a smart head. A sexy-as-fuck body, too, but I couldn’t lie to myself that she wasn’t the whole package, everything I hadn’t realized I’d wanted all my life.

Without knowing every detail about her, I felt it in my soul that she stood out from all the nameless women I’d fucked.

As I watched her move around the counter, then check on Oscar sitting by himself and swinging his legs at his booth, I noticed my own reflection in the glass.

Shit.

I looked like it.

My suit was rumpled and wrinkled from beating those men. Blood was smeared and drying on my knuckles. Sweat matted my hair, and the dust and grime from the warehouse where we’d found the Romano shooters was sticking to my skin.

I was a mess, but I couldn’t let that be one more obstacle between me and Willow. Even just to say hello, to be in her presence and bask in the warmth and comfort of her timid smiles.

Putting my hand on the glass, I wished I could reach her,reallyreach her, and convince her to want to let me into her life. To matter to her.

It wouldn’t be a sure thing. There were too many secrets between us. We came from different backgrounds. Yet, as I stood there unable to take my eyes off her, I didn’t care how I might look like an unhinged stalker obsessed with my prey.

She wasn’t mine in any fashion yet.

But I wasn’t a quitter.

I never would be.

Stubborn with this damnable longing for her, I looked forward to when I would have a chance to persuade her to reconsideronlybeing friends with me.

13

WILLOW

Another shift came at the diner and there was no Saul in sight.

Stop looking for him, you idiot.

You told him you weren’t interested, and that was the end of it.