I also don’t want to think about him leaving because even though hooking up with him was a mistake, he’s important to my team.
Sure. Team.
I tell my conscience to shut up.
“When you run out of perspective lessons, I’ll still need someone to take a bite of my food for me.”
Brix laughs, and I’m finally relaxed enough to laugh with him.
“Seriously, though, aren’t you getting sick of babysitting me? Don’t you want to go out there and blow up bad guys and collect kill numbers?”
“Kill numbers? Is that what you think we do?”
“I don’t know what you guys do.”
Brix’s eyes shine with pride.
I step closer to him. “Out of curiosity, if you and Iris did have a kill list, whose would be longer?”
The sides of Brix’s lips curve upward. “Whose do you think?”
“Hmm, you’re more serious and you look lethal when you get all scowly, but here you are …” Another step closer. “Yet again, telling me to stop being a dramatic pop star and somehow making me get over myself.”
Brix sucks in a shuddery breath as I stop in front of him, just inches away. “Don’t mistake me for someone who has a heart just because I know how to do my job.”
“Calming me down isn’t your job, so you can’t play the broody loner card,” I whisper.
His dark brown eyes are trained on mine, giving away the softness inside him.
I want to kiss him. I want to kiss him hard and rough again. All it would take is pressing myself against him and claiming his lips.
Back away, Harley.
I force myself to put distance between us. “Yeah, you’re not such a hardass. Iris’s list is longer, for sure.”
I leave the bathroom with a smile on my face.
Billy is sentenced to only one year of probation and ordered to stay away from me. While I was expecting it and it’s disappointing he didn’t get more, I feel safe knowing Brix has my back.
If he does ever get tired of his actionless job, I don’t know what I’ll do.
Chapter Fourteen
Brix
Harley’s schedule picks up a bit after his attacker’s sentencing. A few talk shows wanted to chat about it, and Gideon said it would be good for Harley to make a few appearances in public so people don’t think he’s fallen off the face of the planet since his last tour ended.
Always in the spotlight. Always under a microscope.
It’s no wonder he’s a little neurotic.
He said something at the courthouse about me getting bored with this position, and honestly, I thought I would hate it. I took it because of the money, but I enjoy it because of Harley.
I like talking him down. I like giving him perspective.
If I were to quit Mike Bravo, Trav could replace me with another trained soldier in a flash. What I give Harley … it might not seem like much, but it makes me feel important.
Harley makes me feel important.
Everything I do for him or around him is instinctual. Instead of tactical thinking and analyzing what I should do, I just act.
It may not be adrenaline inducing, but it’s fluid. Reflexive.
His new schedule is testing me in ways I haven’t really dealt with yet.
Fans actually camp outside studios to get a glimpse of Harley. Most of them are tame and only want a selfie or an autograph, but some like to get pushy, and I have to be the bad guy and get them out of Harley’s way.
I wonder if New York will be similar.
We have a few days in the Big Apple for Harley to film more late-night talk shows and make a surprise appearance at a Radioactive concert.
Harley went quiet after Gideon told him that part and hasn’t really said much since.
As soon as we get on the private plane for the trip, he settles into his seat, puts his noise-canceling headphones on, a mask over his eyes, and pretends to be asleep.
I spend the five-hour flight talking to Harley’s assistant, who’s come on the trip with us.
It’s my job to protect Harley and Jamie’s job to get him anything he wants, but I’m kinda thankful for her for other reasons. Jamie being with us means it’ll be easier for me to remain professional.
Because God knows how hard that’s getting. Literally.
I wake up every morning aching for him.
I haven’t been this horny since basic training when I’d been too scared to make a move on anyone in case they turned on me and outed me to everyone.