My words shock her into a long, thoughtful silence.
Before she can find her words, the food arrives, and we both make a big dent in our meal before the conversation picks up again.
“I’m sorry, Mark. I guess no matter how hard I try, my first instinct is to judge people.”
“It’s all right. I’m used to it. You know me, but you don’t understand me or my business.”
And until now, that’s never bothered me. I don’t need a woman to understand my motives because women don’t stick around.
Never have. Never will.
“That much is true,” she concedes. “But I’d like to. I’m curious why you’ve made the choices you have. Is that prying?”
“Pry away, Princess. I’m an open book.”
“The Marines. When you got out, why didn’t you go into personal security? I hear those guys make very good money.”
“I had offers. Plenty of them, from the biggest security firms in the world, but the thing is, it’s the same job with the same bullshit, just a bigger paycheck.”
“And the motorcycle club thing, that’s not about money?”
“Money is a necessity. We all need it to get by, but it’s about how you earn your money. In my life now, I give the orders, but I consult my brothers on all major decisions because it’s all of our lives on the line. I don’t like to follow orders without asking questions, and I won’t ask my brothers to do that either.”
McKenna nods, and her hazel eyes stay on mine for a long time, heat arcing between us. “You still maintain a stringent exercise regimen.”
My lips tug up into a knowing grin. “Some habits are harder to kick than others, besides exercise is great therapy. At least that’s what I’ve heard.”
A breathy laugh escapes from her lips, and she drops her napkin on her plate. “You must be the most Zen guy ever.”
The heat in her eyes says it all, and I feel my cock stirring in my jeans at the appreciative look she sweeps over me.
“What about you, Kenna?”
She blinks as if it’s strange I want to know about her. “What about me?”
“Why do you work at Slice of Life? You clearly don’t need the money, but you seem to like it there.”
She shrugs as if it’s no big deal. But the tension in her eyes and the suddenly stiff set of her shoulders tell me otherwise.
“I tried college because my father demanded it, but I had no grand plans like Kelsey. I got a liberal arts degree only to shut him up. I started working at Slice of Life shortly before I graduated because my trust fund hadn’t kicked in yet, and Daddy is stingy when you stray from his chosen path.”
Interesting. “You gonna work there forever?”
“No,” she sighs. “But I have no idea what I’m good at other than being bitchy and spending money. So basically, I’m a useless rich girl.”
“Not useless,” I assure her. “Aimless.”
She lets out a bitter laugh. “I appreciate your honesty.”
I shrug. “Nothing wrong with being aimless. We’ve all been there. Plenty of retired service members has no idea what to do once they re-enter civilian life.”
“You think so?”
“I do. Unlike them, Kenna, you have the resources to do different things, see what you’re good at, what you like. Maybe your path is as a private investigator?”
She laughs, which is what I hoped she’d do.
“Jury’s still out on that one. All I’ve found is Grace’s diary. You’ve done all the hard work.”
“Been doing this longer than you.” I’m starting to get a clearer picture of McKenna and why she gives off the stuck-up bitch vibes at first glance. It’s a defense mechanism, and that key insight only makes me like her more. “Don’t be afraid to try.”
“It’s not the trying that terrifies me. It’s the failing part.”
“Failure is inevitable, at least when you try for something big. You failed to get Kelsey away from Coop, and you almost took a bullet for your efforts. Do you regret trying?”
“No, I don’t. I regret the damage it’s done to our relationship, though.”
“And because you didn’t succeed, there’s a chance to get your relationship with Kelsey back on track.”
She laughs. “Mark—no Ace—the optimist. It has a nice ring to it.”
“Smartass.” I smile at her, and she smiles back at me. “Wanna get out of here?”
She nods. “Yes.” Her answer comes out breathless and full of steam. “Definitely, yes.”
That’s an invitation if I ever heard one. I stand, my gaze hot as hell, and as I stare down at her sweet mouth, her eyes glaze over with lust. With want.
“Come on, baby. I know just the place.”
Chapter Twenty-One
McKenna
“What is this place?” After locking up my car at his repair shop, Mark takes me to a two-story craftsman in what looks like a family neighborhood. “A safe house or something?”
Mark smiles and his lips twitch as he takes the helmet from under my arm. “This house is safe, but it is not a safe house. It’s my house.”