3. Legend

3

LEGEND

When I pulled up to the address that Cerberus sent me, I froze seeing the two men on her porch. I knew they'd be there, but seeing them here, protecting my target, my best friend's sister, my woman… damn, where did that come from? Maya is not mine, and I'd better keep reminding myself of that fact. I haven't even laid eyes on the woman and already I'm having thoughts I shouldn't be.

After I dismiss Walker's men, I stand on the front porch and take a few deep breaths. Why am I equally nervous and excited about this assignment? I knock and see the fluttering of the shades next to the front door. So she's been watching me? I wait for the door to open, and after a few seconds go by, I knock again.

"Who is it?" a soft feminine voice asks.

Even though it's muffled, I hear her plainly and respond with as much chill as I can muster. It's like I'm vibrating on the inside, and maybe it will go away when I finally lay eyes on her and know she's okay. "Hey, Maya, my name is Legend Johnson. I'm Maverick's friend."

It's like I'm tuned into any noise or movement on the other side of the door, and I can hear her shifting her weight. This time she stutters, "How…how do I know it's you?"

Smart girl. I smile. "I have an ID. Do you want me to show you in the window?"

"Anyone can fake those."

I nod because what she's saying is the truth. Anyone can make a fake ID these days. "Okay, how can I prove it to you? I may have an old picture or something or I can—"

She cuts me off. "Maverick said you have matching tattoos."

Instantly, I put my hand to my chest. "Yeah, we do. Want to see it?"

Her voice seems to have raised an octave. "Yes."

I step over in front of the window and wait. My body is tense as I wait for her to open the blinds, and when she does, my heart does a flip in my chest. She's even more beautiful in person. Her hair is in curls, hanging over her shoulders. Her eyes are wide as she stares through the glass at me, and even from here, I can see her stunted breath. She puts one hand to the glass and then pulls back. She feels it too.

When her eyebrow raises up, I remember what I'm supposed to be doing and pull my shirt from my jeans. I could just lift it up and show her my chest, but I want to test this working theory of attraction, so I pull my shirt up and off before moving closer to the glass.

Her eyes moving down my body is like a caress, and it's only when she sees the gun tucked into my jeans that I realize I fucked up. Her eyes are wide, and her mouth drops open as she steps back from the window.

I point at my chest, right over my heart where my tattoo is. "Maya, look, I have the tattoo just like Mav." I point at the fallen soldier tattoo that says Some Gave All and has our buddies' initials underneath. I raise my arm and display the prominent tattoo of my name on my side. "It's me, Maya. I'm Legend."

She's looking at the gun on my hip. "Honey, let me in. I'm here to protect you, and it's easier to do from inside the house instead of the outside."

She points at my waist. "Does that have to come in with you?"

I shrug. "You know it does. But it's just like Abe in Secret Love Assassin . He protected Zoey, and he needed that gun to do it."

She takes a step toward me. "Did you read Secret Love Assassin ?"

I nod. "Well, I'm reading it now. I started on the plane ride here."

She lets her eyes travel across my chest and then she closes the blinds. It takes a few minutes because Maya is flipping several locks, and finally she opens the door. She stands back and gestures for me to come in, and as soon as I walk in the door, she's slamming it behind me and goes through securing all the locks again. I count as she goes, and when she gets to ten, I realize that Maya is more scared than I thought.

When she turns around, she's looking everywhere but at me, and it's not until she does that she gestures to my bare chest. "You can put your shirt back on."

"Right." I didn't expect her to have rosy cheeks as if seeing me without my shirt on affects her, but I puff out my chest a little. I tug the shirt over my head, and just as my head pokes out the top, I notice she's staring at me.

"So what did you think? About the book, I mean?"

I nod. "It's good. Really good. I'm only halfway through it, so don't tell me how it ends."

She crosses her arms over her chest. "What about the sexy parts? What did you think about those?"

Shocked, I start to cough. Can I really talk about sex scenes with Maya when I know that from this point forward, I will picture her any time I think about sex?

Shocked, all I can do is stare at her. I shake my head. "Uh, you want to know what I thought about the sex scenes?"

She bites on to her lip, and I have an internal fight with myself because I want to reach for her and smooth my finger over her lip to keep it from bruising. She tightens her arms around herself. "Forget it. Stupid question. So uh, I talked to Maverick, and he said you were coming. And look, I told him okay, but I don't need protection."

I point to the couch. "You mind if I sit down?"

She nods, and I follow her into the connected living room. When she sits down on the couch, I sit next to her. I should probably put some space between us, but I'm physically drawn to her and want to be as close as possible. "So you don't need protection?"

She shakes her head side to side and blinks at me, her eyes round and innocent. "Nope, I have things under control."

I lean forward with my elbows on my knees and turn to her. "Okay, but can I ask you a few questions?"

She nods, and I don't waste any time. "Am I right in understanding you were receiving emails? "

She lifts her shoulders in a shrug. "Yeah."

I nod. "And then you received letters to your PO box and then packages sent to your house?" I am trying to keep the anger out of my voice. How anyone could want to scare this woman is beyond me. I know people are evil. In my work, I've seen the lowest of the low, and I usually handle it matter-of-factly with no emotion involved. But now, my heart is racing, and I feel hot all over when the anger hits me hard.

She hesitates for a moment, and I give her a half smile. "The truth, please, honey."

She juts her chin at me. "Yes, that's all true."

I sit up a little taller. "And then he broke in when you weren't home and stole your underwear?"

I choke over the word underwear because it doesn't take much for me to imagine her in her panties.

Her cheeks get even redder. "Yes, he did."

I flex my hands and then fist them together. "And then tried to break in while you were here?"

She nods her head again, and I can see the fear in her eyes.

I grit my teeth together. "Well, if you ask me, I think you need me."