Chapter 29 - Lev

"You didn't have to drive me," Jenna said for at least the tenth time since we set out for her trip to Monterey.

She was spending the weekend with her sister and my niece, since Nataliye had finally forgiven her best friend for marrying her father. It was a hastily planned event, because Katie was on the verge of giving birth at any moment, but she seemed determined to get her sister and best friend together for one last party before motherhood claimed her focus.

I had heard all about it from Aleks, and that was the only reason I'd agreed to let Jenna go. I didn't love the idea of her being out of my sight, but my brother would have plenty of security hanging around the resort. And things had settled down in the week since I stamped out the last attacks by the new crew from Portland. Either they had decided it wasn't worth it, or this was the eye of the storm, but Jenna was determined to make amends with her sister.

I glanced over at her, staring at me with consternation. As much as she'd been looking forward to this mini vacation, it was clear the hypocrisy of her situation with me and the secrecy necessary was wearing on her.

"Of course, I had to drive you," I said teasingly. "I'd be missing you already if I didn't. Now, I get to see you until the last second when I drop you off at your room."

Her face went pale. "You can't," she said urgently, so anxious she didn't recognize my joke. "How could we explain it? I'm not even supposed to know who you are."

"It's the perfect time to test the waters," I said, ignoring her groan. "There's no reason we shouldn't have met, since I know about you through Katie. It would be downright rude of me not to introduce myself to my sister-in-law's family when you live so close. I heard about the trip from Aleks, and since I've got business down south, there's no reason why I shouldn't reach out to offer to share the ride."

She pondered my excuse, which I'd made up on the spot and was pretty proud of. I had meant to drop her off at the gates and skulk away, but I was also sick of the secrecy.

"I guess you could pretend to offer me a job some time down the road…" she mumbled.

"Absolutely. And then the next thing we knew—"

"Let's just stick with you, saving me the taxi fees down here for now," she interrupted, smoothing her hair since we were rounding the bend into the resort.

Tension gripped me as I pulled into the valet area in front of the sprawling, modern building nestled up against some hiking trails. Katie and Nat were waiting in the lobby with some kind of sparkling pink drink in their hands, and I stiffened as I hurried around to open Jenna's door and let her out.

They descended on her with hugs that she somewhat timidly accepted, but neither one blinked at my presence, accepting my hastily told cover story with ease. Katie must have been so busy at the Christmas party that she just assumed I met Jenna there, and there was no hint in her eyes that she suspected anything.

Now, all I had to do was let them know I'd offered Jenna an internship, and after they were used to that idea, I could spill the beans that we were married. Hopefully, before our first child started kindergarten, it was torture not to put my arm around her and kiss her proprietarily.

"I'll grab your bag out of the car," I said, glumly accepting my role as chauffeur that day.

"No, let me get it. You've already been too helpful." She hurried out after me as her sister, and Nat wandered into the dining room to check out the menus.

At the car, we both stared into the wide windows of the luxurious spa resort, but except for the lady absently working behind the reception counter, we were completely alone. Even the valet had taken off to his booth when I told him I wouldn't be needing to have it parked.

I walked behind a wide pillar ensconced in ivy and grape vines, and she followed with a tense look. I hated to leave her, but she needed the break. The stress in her eyes and the lines dragging her mouth down weren't new. She'd been much too worried about catching up with the classes she was behind in, and no matter how much I reassured her, she was still distressed about the fight I'd been in last week. My bruises had faded, and my knuckles were already itching to bash someone new, but she was so skittish I hadn't even been sparring to avoid any new injuries.

It was nice that she was sticking to me like glue, because I had to believe it was because she cared, but it meant she wasn't taking my advice to take it easy and concentrate on her studies.

"What am I going to do without my little shadow for the next two days?" I asked, looking down at her hungrily. "You know how much I love having you around."

She glanced behind her to make sure we weren't being seen by anyone and gripped my jacket. Her mouth opened and then snapped shut, like she wanted to say something but changed her mind. I leaned down to kiss her goodbye so she could get started on the much-needed relaxation the spa promised.

At first, her mouth was lax under mine, but then her hands tightened and she pulled me close, wrapping her arms around me for a split second before roughly pushing me away.

"Be careful this weekend," she said, eyes full of something I didn't understand.

Tenderness flooded me. "Was I wrong about you being my shadow?" I asked. "Have you been my bodyguard all this time?"

Shaking her head, she reached for me again, then let her hand drop, glancing around some more. "Ugh, I'll be glad when this is over."

Did she mean the visit with her sister? When she'd been haranguing me to let her go?

"Ah, you're as sick of the secrecy as I am," I said, figuring out the source of her frustration. "Then let's march in there right now and tell Katie everything."

She went stark white, then forced out a laugh. "Don't even joke about that."

I let her shove me toward the car and pretended I was nothing more than an acquaintance as I pulled out of the drive, casually waving goodbye. It hadn't been a joke, though, and I almost wished I had done it.