Secrets and Sins: Chayot: A Secrets and Sins novel (Entangled Ignite) Read Online Free PDF Page B

did. That intimacy, that level of trust and acceptance weren’t meant to be his. Relationships were hard enough without one of the persons coming in with heavy and damaged baggage.
    But in this moment, especially when he closed the door and turned to face the woman standing in his office, he couldn’t remember longing for it more.
    Schooling his features to reveal none of the thoughts circling his brain, he gestured toward the two armchairs in front of his desk.
    “Please, have a seat,” he offered, reclaiming his seat. “Is everything okay?”
    “Yes.” She lowered to a chair. “No sign of peepers or trespassers.”
    Relief eased through him. “That’s good news. What can I do for you?”
    “I wanted to hire you. Or rather your firm.”
    “For security?”
    “Yes.”
    She paused, and a slideshow of fear, pain, anger, and sorrow rushed over her face. He curled his fingers into his thighs, fighting the urge to reach out and pull her onto his lap where he could enfold her in his arms. Keep her safe from whatever haunted her. But comforting Aslyn wasn’t his place. And touching her was not only inappropriate but would be one of the most dumbass mistakes he made.
    “I’m not sure if you’re aware of…of what happened to me some months ago?” Again that succession of emotion twisted her expression. “I was assaulted by an obsessed fan after a concert.”
    Of course he knew the story. But he remained silent and allowed her to relay how a sick man had stabbed her in her dressing room after killing her assistant. Her distress and hurt seeped through her words, even though she tried to recount the attack in a dispassionate manner. Fury at Quinton Lakes kindled inside him. At the terror and pain he’d caused. The loss he’d left in his wake. He would never come after her again, but if anyone understood death sometimes wasn’t the end of things, but the beginning, Chay did.
    Noting the slight tremor in her voice, the agitated twisting of her slim artist fingers, the subtle paling of her skin, he fought down the need to touch her, to soothe her, which rose again like a freaking phoenix. Six months later, and the trauma of almost being killed hadn’t disappeared for her. He hated to break it to her, but it probably never would. Lessen maybe, but never vanish. He was a living, breathing testimony to that fact.
    “I spoke with my manager, Liam, this morning. Of course Quinton’s dead, so we know last night can’t be connected to him in any way, but…after a year of my being stalked, Liam doesn’t want to take chances. In the beginning we didn’t take Quinton’s actions seriously, and before we knew it, the situation had become terrible. And terrifying. So I understand why Liam’s urging me to hire protection. He’s being cautious. So,” she spread her elegant hands wide, “that’s why I’m here this afternoon.”
    Since Chay hadn’t mentioned his profession last night, he assumed she must have conducted an online search of his name. His heart knocked against his ribcage at the thought of what results must’ve populated the screen. Dread soured his stomach as he narrowed his eyes and searched her face for any hint of judgment. But her expression revealed nothing, and the vise tightening his chest slowly loosened by increments. Of course, the articles that had probably populated her search wouldn’t have reported the entire story. He’d confessed to Richard’s death, admitted he’d killed him in self-defense. But the entire story? That he’d never even spoken about with his friends. Although, he believed Gabe, Mal, and Rafe suspected the ugly truth.
    Still, reason argued, she was here seeking his help, wasn’t she? He and Rafe had encountered this phenomenon directly after the story broke about Richard’s death. Instead of the murder harming their business as it had Malachim’s law practice, their security firm had experienced an upswing. As if potential clients believed if one partner committed