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“When I’m here”

“Oh, hell, Dane” I let out a long breath Tried to explain that I understood our predicareat example when it ca

“Every Servicesimilar, I’m sure That they’ve left loved ones behind to fend for theeous people have a sense of duty to serve their country They et the job they’re assigned done I have immense respect for theether, as best as they can, back home You do what you have to do, noterroris with the FBI”

“It’s not just that, Ari”

I was getting a little alar all the ter with , he’d still call me baby or sweetheart

Not so now

“So what else is it?” I dared to ask Somewhat reticent to do so I wasn’t quite sure how far the pendulu with this sensitive, potentially detrimental, subject

And that made it difficult to breathe

He said, “We’re not thinking of ourselves as parents with so to lose”

Kyle had pointed that out to ht But I reht in our heads when all of this started”

“Well, he needs to be the thought in our heads now”

Dane backed away and stalked over to the wet bar to pour hilass of scotch He turned back and handed over a crystal tumbler for

Then he said, “When I was a child, I didn’t fully grasp the concept of having a bodyguard I knew Ah, so it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary He offered a paternal presence—taught s When I was entering my teens, that’s when I started to rebel a bit”

My brow crooked “You?” He’d always been so stalwart and grounded I hadn’t considered that his unique circu an orphaned billionaire at just one ht have hadhis parents And the iet their hands on his inheritance

He said, “I wanted to be able to do things on my own, not constantly be shadowed At that point, obviously, I understood why it was so important for Amano to keep an eye on est, when most of my friends had more freedom”