Page 25 of The Saviors: Part One

I nod, agreeing that isn’t a conversation to have in front of him. “Got it, Gorgeous. Later?” She nods and starts sipping her coffee.

I look around her living room. It’s decorated, but it doesn’t look lived in. Maybe she hasn’t been here long.

“Did you just move in here?” I ask her.

She gets a cute little frown line between her brows. “No. I’ve been here awhile.”

I look around the room again and notice the decorations are all generic. It doesn’t have any of her personality. No pictures except a few of her and Amber scattered around, with no family or other friends. She has a bookshelf behind the chair Kai is sitting in. Books line the whole thing, but they look like they are just for show. Maybe she’s a minimalist. Even as I think it, I don’t believe it. I’ve been in this game long enough to know this isn’t her primary residence. This is a cover. Which raises so many questions for this gorgeous blonde beside me.

I look over at Kai, and he raises an eyebrow. He’s thinking the same thing. He doesn’t act like he thinks we’re in any danger. He can sense that shit a mile away. This has nothing to do with Axel’s dad, and she isn’t some trained assassin luring men to their deaths. She has the body for it, but she still screams vulnerable. You can fake that, but not as much as what Chelsea gives off.

It looks like I won’t be the only one starting this with secrets. Something about that makes me feel better about pursuing her. Maybe we can unlock all this together, and she won’t hate me as much when she realizes I’m not exactly who I said I am.

“I’m so hungry,” she groans, causing me to chuckle.

“It’s a little late for takeout, Gorgeous.”

“I’m going to go find something to eat. Do you guys want anything?” she asks, getting up from the couch and grabbing her mug.

Kai and I both shake our heads. We watch her until she’s out of earshot then Kai moves to the couch beside me.

“This house is not her real house,” he whispers.

For all our bullshit, we’re all usually on the same wavelength. Years of this have taught us always to be aware of our surroundings.

I nod. “Yeah, I got that vibe too. What do you think it means?”

He looks around again. “I don’t know. I don’t think it has anything to do with Axel or us.” He looks back at me. “What do you think?”

“I don’t know her well,” I tell him honestly. “But she seems innocent somehow. Vulnerable. Someone from her past did a number on her.”

“You got all that from just one day?”

“You do know I’m not a fucking moron, right?”

Kai scoffs. “Yes, jackass, I know that. I just meant that’s a lot to unpack from a one-night stand.”

“I told you there’s something about her. I paid attention. She’s insecure about her looks. That screams abusive ex. I think this,” I say, gesturing to the room, “has a lot to do with that. Plus, her security system is high-tech. People just don’t put up something like that unless they are afraid of something.”

Kai nods. “I picked up the insecurity at the bar. Something she said didn’t sit right with me.” I raise my eyebrow. “She said that contrary to what happened tonight, guys weren’t tripping over themselves to talk to her. It wasn’t what she said; it was how she said it.”

“Wow, Kai. That’s a lot to unpack in one night.”

“Fuck off,” he hisses, moving back to the chair.

I laugh. “I think someone is sweet on my girl.”

“Your girl?”

I shrug. “That’s the plan.”

“I’m not sweet on her,” he grumbles.

“Bullshit. I’m cool with it, man.” I don’t know why I said that. Except that, I know I am. I can already see how being around her has changed him. He could use that in his life.

“How in the hell would that even work?” he asks, confused.

“We can figure it out.”