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Oh man. My cheeks heat.
“What happened to your face?” He glares up at Ryker, clearly thinking it’s his fault.
“I’m sorry. I was in a car accident.” I move up beside Ryker, so I’m not hiding behind him anymore. “I can’t remember the last two weeks. This is my friend, Ryker. He rescued me.”
Alec’s expression shifts to one of concern, but there’s another layer there. Something I can’t quite make out. “You’re okay?”
I nod.
He turns to Ryker and offers him a hand. “We need to talk,” he says.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Ryker replies.
“Here’s your coffee, honey,” the barista says, setting two paper cups on the counter. “Can I get you anything?”
“Just a black coffee, thanks,” Alec replies. “We need to go somewhere else. How do you feel about butterflies?”
The butterfly house in Cypress Gardens was always on my bucket list, yet as I walk into it beside Ryker and Alec, the feeling is anything but magical. Brightly colored butterflies flap their wings throughout what equates to a giant greenhouse, complete with a cobblestone path and a koi pond.
It’s beautiful, and on any other day, I might be able to appreciate it.
Ryker guides me over toward a green bench, so I take a seat. He and Alec both remain standing.
“I’m assuming you’re not in insurance,” Ryker says.
Alec snorts. “That easy to spot?”
“You have a very distinctive stance,” he replies. “Former military?”
“Paratrooper,” he replies. “You’re a SEAL, right?” When Ryker doesn’t respond, Alec adds. “You SEALs all have the same distinctive sneer.”
Ryker grins. “Who are you really?”
“My name is Detective Alec Ford.” He opens his jacket to reveal a badge clipped to the waist of his pants. “Mr. Prescott hired me to keep an eye on Miss Swanson when he thought she might be in danger.”
“What?” I demand. “Why?”
“He didn’t say. But he did tell me he had some information for me regarding some criminal activity that would lead to what he called the arrest of my career. So I didn’t ask too many questions. Besides, guarding a beautiful girl? I can do that in my sleep.”
My cheeks heat, and Ryker’s expression turns murderous.
Uh-oh.
“No offense, SEAL.”
“What do you know?” Ryker demands, his tone far less friendly now.
“I do know that Mr. Prescott said he had to get a few pieces into order before he could give me the information. But he said that if anything were to happen to Miss Swanson beforehand, he’d die with his secrets. Seems he did that anyway.”
“So you pretended to go on a date with me?” My own anger churns in my belly as it fully settles in.
“I only wanted to get close enough to keep you safe. He said that you were not supposed to know who I really was and why I was there.”
“So playing with my emotions was the only way to get what you wanted for your career?” I stand and jab a finger into his chest. “I’m a person you know. A person who doesn’t date much. You know, I may not be able to remember, but I bet I was excited about it, and this whole time, you were just going to further your own career.”
To his credit, Alec looks genuinely apologetic. “It was not my intention to string you along, Miss Swanson. He said you were in danger, and it was my job to keep you safe. That’s it.”
“Yeah, okay.”
