Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

It would be so easy to ignore Cass’s question. To forget she’d asked it and change the subject to something he much preferred. Reliving a part of his life that had shaped him so much was hard.

If Irish knew Cass, and he definitely believed he did, she would’ve found a way to get into the classified file about his discharge from the Army.

She would’ve known what he’d done, but the report didn’t explain why he’d done it. Why he’d taken it all on his shoulders.

“Very. All I ever wanted to do was serve my country. Being a Delta was my ultimate goal, and when I achieved it, it was the best feeling in the world.”

“And then it got taken away from you.”

The combination of the cool water and ocean breeze weren’t affecting him, but Irish didn’t miss the goosebumps showing on Cass’s arms or the way a shiver wracked her body every now and then.

As much as he wanted to stay where they were, he wouldn’t make her freeze to death. “Come on, let’s head back to your place. We can get something to eat on the way.”

“Sure.” A flare of disappointment flashed through her eyes before it was blinked away like she wanted him to expand more on what had happened to him. Wanted him to tell her his darkest secret—one he was convinced she already knew.

Or maybe she didn’t. Maybe Cass had respected his need for privacy and hadn’t used her impressive skills to open files she wasn’t supposed to.

Not that it was a big deal for him. In fact, he probably would prefer that she’d found out instead of him telling what had gone down. It saved him from having to relive the worst chapter of his life. However, if Irish had to do it again, he wouldn’t change a thing.

The walk back to the car was made in silence, and he didn’t want it to carry through the whole drive to Cass’s place.

They reached the edge of the parking lot, and he pulled Cass into his arms, looping his loosely around her waist .

It took a few seconds, but eventually, she lifted her face, wariness in her eyes.

“Having my career stripped away from me cut deep, and talking about it is hard,” Irish admitted.

Immediately, compassion replaced the wariness, and she cupped his cheek.

Irish turned his head and kissed her palm.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable,” she whispered.

That was the last thing he wanted from Cass—an apology. “No, you have nothing to be sorry for. There’s something growing between us, Cass. I feel it, and I know you do, too. I don’t ever want you to feel like you can’t ask me anything. And I definitely don’t want you to apologize for making me uncomfortable.”

She studied him for a few seconds, and he made himself stay still, waiting to see what she would do or say next.

“Same goes with me. I know I’m going to get into uncomfortable situations the further I try to piece my past together. Sharing isn’t easy when it’s so personal. Being uncomfortable means we learn. It pushes us when we need it, even though we don’t want it.”

“We can be uncomfortable together then.”

The smile that lit her face was brighter than the setting sun .

Irish wanted to take a photo so he’d always have it, but he didn’t have his phone handy. He vowed to make her smile like that more often. “I like the way you think.” He lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers.

A soft touch but one he hoped communicated how important she was to him. How important this conversation was and the one they were going to have when he got to her place.

Irish pulled away and kept a firm grip on her hand as he led them to the car. Once they were on the road, he watched the cars surrounding them. Nothing seemed out of place, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being followed.

Everything he was observing showed he should be wrong, but he’d never ignored this weird feeling and he wasn’t going to start now.

He changed lanes, and his attention drifted rapidly between the road in front and the cars behind them. They weren’t traveling at a fast pace because the highway was packed. One of the downsides of going to Malibu instead of Venice Beach, although traveling down Sunset was always a bit of a challenge.

As he glanced in the rearview mirror, Irish caught a silver sedan that’d been three cars behind them had changed into the lane they were. Sure, it could be coincidence, but he didn’t think so and planned to test the theory.

When he was able to, he switched back into the lane he’d been in before.

“Mind telling me what’s going on?” Cass’s question didn’t come as a surprise.

Of course, the last thing he wanted to do was freak her out, but he also wasn’t going to lie to her. “I think we’re being followed. I can’t be sure because this traffic is a bitch, but I’ve got this feeling something’s up.”

“If I’ve learned anything working with you former military guys, it’s that you trust your gut. If you think somethings up, then nine times out of ten there is.”

Irish chuckled. Yep, Cass had them pegged, and he was pleased that what he’d told her hadn’t freaked her out—at least not in a way that she was showing him. “Let’s hope it’s the one time out of ten that I’m wrong.”

“Maybe.” She leaned forward as though checking her mirror. “What car am I looking for?”

He checked the mirrors again. The silver car had been in the lane beside them, but now it was gone. Whoever was following them, if they were being followed, was doing a fucking good job. “Silver sedan. Not sure how far back it is now.”

“Okay.” Cass was studying her phone. “At the next set of lights, you can turn left. It will be a longer drive, but we can get back to my place.”

“Whatever it takes, and if we are being tailed, whoever’s doing it will have to make the same turn.”

“Exactly, that way we can smoke them out. They’ll either take a risk on getting right behind us, or they’ll continue on straight.”

The lights were approaching, and Irish made his move into the turning lane at the last minute possible, his attention glued to the rearview mirror.

“I see it,” Cass said. “It’s drifting across as if ready to turn left…wait they changed their minds and are now going straight.”

He watched it all unfold. As the car continued past them, he didn’t miss the driver holding a phone up, as if videoing or taking a photo. The device was obscuring his view of the driver, but he couldn’t miss the tattoos on the man’s hands. “Fuck, I can’t get a visual on them.”

The honk from the car behind spurred him into action, and he turned the corner, driving a couple hundred yards before pulling into a strip mall. He pulled into a spare bay and turned to Cass. “Please tell me you got the license plate down?”

A small smile broke out on her face. “Of course I did. I’ll run it as soon as we get back to my place.” As quickly as the smile had arrived, it disappeared just as swiftly. “I was looking straight at them when they went past. Whatever they were doing with that phone, they’ve got a good view of me.”

Which was probably their plan .

Irish kept the thought in his head. He didn’t need to say it out loud, not if it was a thought that was already going through her mind, and he believed it was. “You have their license number, once we know who they are, we can take it from there.” He reached across the console and grabbed her hand, tugging it lightly until she leaned toward him. “Are you listening to me, Cass?”

A hint of a smile teased her face at his commanding tone. “Yes.”

“I’ve got your six now and always.”

“I know.”

There was no conviction in her voice, and it pissed him off. Didn’t she know that he would lay his life on the line for her. That he would never desert her. “Do you?” He tried to keep his anger in check, but he didn’t succeed.

Her eyes widened. “Dylan, I do. But I can’t lie. I’m scared.”

He was an ass. Of course, she was scared. What’d been a hunch had turned out to be correct—someone had been following them.

They’d wanted to see Cass, and they’d achieved their goal.

“ Alastronia , if you weren’t scared, I’d be worried. If I have to glue myself to your side. I will. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She shook her head. “Don’t say things like that because if something did happen, the guilt would eat you up.” Her hand clasped his tightly. “I know you will do everything to keep me safe.”

Did she really believe that?

He still had his doubts, but perhaps that was more his worries than hers. He didn’t want her to ever feel like she wouldn’t be safe with him.

Irish didn’t say anything; just gave and nod, but kept his attention on her, willing her to believe it deep down in her soul. No doubt that would take time.

As though she could read what was going on in his mind, Cass gave a small laugh. “I always feel safe with you. You didn’t lie to me about the car tailing us, when you could’ve.”

“Damn right, and I will always be truthful with you.” Sometimes, if the situation warranted it, he’d keep some things quiet.

“And I’ll do the same. Now, let’s get home so I can find out who this fucker is, even though I kind of have an idea who it might be.”

Yeah, so do I.

“Cartel?” he asked.

“Yep. And if it is, then your suspicion that my uncle has found me is right.”

“Let’s hope, for once, I’m wrong.” Irish winked.

This time she laughed, and it sounded happy. “Talk about ego. There are many times you’ve been wrong.”

“In your opinion.”

Cass rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Let’s get out of here.”

Irish lifted their still joined hands and kissed the top of hers. He put the car in gear and headed back toward the road they’d been traveling down, confident that they wouldn’t be followed again.

Once they got home, they could start to make a plan. While he might’ve joked about being wrong, he was pretty sure he was right.

Gomez Ramirez had found his niece.