Lace and Bullets(33)
“I’m sure you do.” Damien smiled and watched Mia’s ass sway as she sauntered toward the first hole.
It had been a risk, taking her somewhere so public. But to see her smile? To hear her laugh not tinged with fear or regret? So fucking worth it.
By the fourth hole, Mia got into it. By the tenth, she’d lost the hunted look in her eyes. Now that they were onto the second course, she was practically giddy.
Her eyes shimmered as she lined up her shot. She wiggled her ass at him and he groaned. The woman must beat off men with a stick. There’s no way she hadn’t had a line out the door just trying to score a date with her.
Damien waited until she started her swing. “So why are you single?”
The ball ricocheted off the side wall and whizzed past the hole.
“Hey! That’s not fair!”
He shrugged. “Sorry?”
“No, you’re not.” She elbowed him in the ribs and skipped down to her ball. “To answer your question, I don’t really know. Guys don’t usually approach me.”
“You’re lying.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m not. I guess I’m pretty focused at school. I’m about to start my last year, then the bar exam, and a real job. I don’t have time to date.”
“Do you really want to be a lawyer?”
Mia took a swing. She missed and looked up at him with a put-on frown. “To be honest? I don’t know. My parents were lawyers. It’s what I’ve been groomed to be.”
“You’re a grown woman, you can make your own choices.”
She shook her head. “You don’t understand the power my father used to hold. I’m twenty-four years old and until the other night, I was still terrified of disappointing him.”
Damien steeled himself. They were almost the same age. Somehow it hadn’t clicked until then. What different lives they’d led. “He can’t hurt you now.”
“I know. It’s just going to take me a while to get used to it.” She swung the putter and the ball rolled into the hole. “Your turn.”
A little while later, they finished the last course. The sun dipped low on the horizon and Damien checked his watch. Time to go.
Mia excused herself to run to the restroom and Damien jogged to the car. He needed to change the license plate before anyone noticed. The car next to him would do fine.
By the time Mia got back, he was leaning on the hood, waiting for her.
She smiled and the whole world lit up. “Thanks for taking me on a date.”
“It’s not over yet.” Damien reached for her hand. “I was wrong about you.” He smoothed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “When I opened that closet door, all I saw was a spoiled little rich girl. But that’s not who you are.”
Mia stepped forward and slipped her arms around his waist like she belonged there. He swallowed. “You’re sweet and kind and you have this light about you.” His jaw ticked. “I’ll never be the man you deserve.”
“Shh.” She reached up and put her fingers on his lips. “Stop that. Don’t sell yourself short. You could have killed me a million times since that night. You saved me instead. I know you didn’t come here because you needed a break. You came here to make me happy.”
She let her hand rest on his chest. “And I am happy, right here with you.”
“You don’t under—”
“Let me finish.” She frowned at him until he gave in. “I know you think running is the best thing, but what if it’s not? What if we could find a way to fix everything? Marcelo can’t be invincible. We could work together. Bring him down.”
“I can’t put you in danger.”
“It’s my choice to make.”
Damien reached up and took her face in his hands. “No, it’s not. You’re not getting hurt because of me. Not tonight.” His lips landed on hers and Damien couldn’t hold back. He couldn’t pretend to be that nice guy who played games and laughed and let the world roll off his shoulders.
He was a killer. A brute. A violent man only kept in check by his sanity and need to survive. Mia didn’t deserve to be tied up with him, but if she weren’t running…he’d take all she could give.
“There’s a hotel at the next exit.”
She looked up into his eyes and all he saw was a future he couldn’t have. Her words hit him like a bullet to the heart. “What are you waiting for?”
The drive to the hotel passed in a blur. Marcelo could have been standing right in front of the entrance, and Damien wouldn’t have noticed. The whole place could have been buzzing with cops or thugs and all he’d have seen was the front desk and the promise of a room upstairs.