Treasured (The Salvation Society) - Victoria Pinder Page 0,3
that was a line. I pressed my hand to his chest and realized how dense those muscles of his were. “That’s hilarious, but thank you.”
His face grew serious. “Hmm, I’m usually better at this.”
This man would never be mine. I wasn’t in his league, and I came with baggage. It was better to cut my fantasy life in pieces right now, so I said, “I’m not sexy or an angel. I’m just a mom, and I’m not used to smiling much.”
His eyes widened. “That can’t be true. Children can be hysterically funny.”
“He’s not quite old enough yet.” This wasn’t a lie. I took out my phone from my bra, which probably wasn’t the classiest place to have it, but it was all I had. I pulled up my photo reel and showed him. “But I’ll show you my angel.”
He swiped the screen and looked at a few pictures, then I took my phone back and said, “Nice meeting you.”
I pivoted to leave and head to the bathroom, but his hand brushed against my wrist, and he said, “I’m not going anywhere.”
Cute, but no single man like him would want to be saddled. I gave him a shrug and took my hand back as I said, “The good ones always leave. That’s life.”
“Easy to prove you wrong on that one.”
I sashayed toward the door. I knew he was watching. My hair stood on its ends, but he would soon find for himself a woman more his speed, one without my life. But it was nice that for one moment in time, he had noticed me.
To be treasured by that man would be an experience of a lifetime but not mine.
Chapter Two
Dwayne
I had assumed going to the party would mostly just show my “business partner” I was serious. I would show my face to Wanda and dig up personal details about Arthur Waterstone from Mary Steel, his ex. But the mission clearly had gone up a notch.
Mary was a knockout.
I needed to be smart now. Wanda Frost had been my brother’s fiancée until he was shot and killed. I’d teamed up with my brother’s friends, who ran Cole Security, to help get her out of the company he’d started.
Since returning stateside, my mission had been to reclaim the company that was rightfully mine. Two weeks before, I’d had a meeting with Mark from Cole Security, as Wanda was selling guns illegally.
The years training to be a Navy SEAL were still fresh as I retired my uniform, but once again I was running in Devon’s shadow. He’d trusted these men, and they remembered him as the saint he was.
They’d found Mary as a source to target while I handled the legal paperwork to oust Wanda from the company.
So there I was, out to prove that I, Dwayne Jenson, was better than my older brother had been. I’d earned better grades in school, continually outperformed him in every physical challenge, and went to church every week to talk one-on-one with my creator—something Devon had always said was stupid.
And then, he was gone. My older brother, who judged me, now no longer called, and that had been hard.
Guess it was harder on my security team, though, since they continued to share stories about how wonderful Devon had been every time we were together, like on this night, at the table.
I mostly listened, but my first mission to get intel on who worked at my company had just grown more interesting.
Nothing had prepared me for the pretty blonde who had sauntered past. For the first time in a while, I was alive, and my nerves were on edge for her return.
As I waited, I circled back to my table and my new associates. Natalie asked, “You were just talking to Mary Steel?”
The sharp eyes of Mark Dixon and his wife, Charlie, were on me like laser pointers on a gun, and I stood at attention. “Yeah, the opportunity presented itself more easily than I imagined.”
Mark winked, like he wanted to laugh at me though we weren’t that close. “Look, Thunder Thighs, the blonde can’t distract you from why we’re here.”
The blonde was most definitely for pleasure and not a mission. But they were right. I didn’t need to get distracted. She had information I needed.
Even though my body craved far more—and a tiny voice in my head whispered there was more—I gave a curt nod. “I’ll find out about Arthur and Wanda if she knows anything.”
Charlie motioned with her head. “Your girl is coming back. I