“I have two, one eitherside, and a spare strapped to the inside right of mycalf.”
“I want to learn how toshoot one.”
There was no hesitation inhis response. “All right.”
That was easy. “Can youteach me?”
“Yes. I can.”
She felt great relief atthose words. She had a feeling that Ryan was very particular, andgood, at something like that. She wanted to learn how to shootcorrectly and not take lessons from a gangster like the ones herfather employs.
“I can also teach you someself-defense Katya. Trust me. It’s handier than a gun.”
“I do trust you.” Thosewords slipped out unexpectedly, surprising herself. He seemedpleased with her statement. It wasn’t obvious in his expression,but the corner of his nicely sculpted mouth tilted up letting herknow he was suppressing a smile. “I would like thattoo.”
The rest of the ride toMiami University was in silence. He seemed quite comfortable withit. She felt a little awkward alone with him but it wasovershadowed by nervousness of being out in the open again with acrowd.
The car pulled into theparking lot and Ryan got out first, walking around to open the doorfor her. He glanced around before he held out his hand and she tookit that time. He released her and shut the door.
She scanned the people oncampus and felt that familiar nervousness creep in. This wasanother really big step for her. She’d never dealt with agoraphobiabefore, but she was determined not to let it rule her.
“Ready?”
His voice was just thereassurance she needed. It was a reminder that he’d be with her.She nodded and started walking toward the admissionsbuilding.
He waited patiently whileshe paid for her classes. The place was busy with potentialstudents, but his attention was always on her. There were a lot ofyoung women there who gave him welcoming glances, but he acted asif he hadn’t noticed. Katya was nervous and he certainly didn’tneed her having another hallucination in front of everyone to drawattention to herself. Even when his phone buzzed in his pocket hedidn’t remove his eyes off of her as he pulled it out. Only toflick a glance at the message from his superior, Ned.
He quickly messaged himback that he’d contact him later and tucked the phone back in hispocket just as Katya finished up. She was slipping her wallet backinto her purse while turning toward him. “I don’t want to go homeyet.”
“No problem.”
“Would you mind if we justwent for a late breakfast?”
That’s right, they didn’teat. A mistake on his part. He should have made sure she ate tokeep up her strength. Come to think of it he was hungry. “I couldalways eat.”
She smiled athim.
He took her upper arm andled her back out to the car. They found a quaint bistro not too farfrom the university. She insisted on sitting on the patio, outside,and he wasn’t too keen on it, but he agreed.
The waiter took theirorders and disappeared.
“Don’t like our Miami sun?”she smiled while sipping a glass of orange juice. He didn’t looktoo pleased about their seating arrangements and she did notice hishesitation after the waiter suggested it, but she really wanted thefresh air. Well, he said he was from Chicago, so maybe the heat didbother him.
“I spent five years inIraq.” It was hot where they sat, but there was a breeze, and hewas comfortable. He’d been in hotter places and wore moregear.
Good God, did he? Who staysfive years in a war torn hellhole? She tilted her head. “You reallycontinue to surprise me. What is it then, if not theheat?”
Now that was a pose hecould really admire. It was as if, for a moment, she was untouchedby the ugliness of what had happened to her. She had this slightlook of amusement as if he’d told a joke, but hadn’t yet revealedthe punchline. It was curious, but angelic. A strand of ebony hairescaped her chignon and trailed across her lovely face with theslight breeze and he resisted the urge to reach over and tuck itbehind her ear. Her dark hair was a stunning contrast to her deepsea green eyes—and fucking distracting. He cursed inwardly andlooked away.
“Mr. Casey?”
He met her eyes again. Nowshe just looked annoyed. All that sexy innocent demure wasabolished, and he was thankful. Now he could get back to being whohe was. As for the reason he didn’t want to be out on the patio,they’d been followed since they left her father’s place, but hewasn’t going to tell her that. A black sedan was keeping itsdistance, and it was now parked down the street. He’ll have tocheck with Ned to see if someone was tailing them from hisdepartment, but he somehow doubted had anything to do with hisorganization or something like it.
It suddenly occurred to herthat he was different—alert. She stilled and slowly set down herglass but still gripped it tightly. “If not the sun, it’s somethingelse, then.” She was beginning to feel that familiar prickling offear.
“We’ve been followed.” Somuch for not telling her, but it looked as though she was about tofaint.
Her hand started to shakesloshing the juice.
He reached over andsteadied it with one of his own. “They aren’t going to doanything,” he reassured softly.
“How do youknow?”
“Because they would havedone it already. They had opportunities.” This was about him. Hewas new, and if they were as informed as much as he thought theywere about Peter’s organization, the new guy would raise eyebrows.They were being cautious and he was sure now that Katya was stillin danger.
She narrowed her eyes inanger. “Why didn’t you say something to me sooner?”
He released her and satback in
