This guy was really starting to get on my nerves. He seemed bent on turning everything into a sexualized joke. It was so juvenile.

But the thing that really pissed me off the most was that deep down, I kind of liked it. I enjoyed the way he checked me out. I wanted him to think of me in those ways.

Fuck, what was wrong with me?

Why would I want a creep like him to be interested in me?

Maybe because he was sexy as hell.

No.

I shoved the thought out of my head, heading out of the building.

Suddenly, Emil sprinted past me.

For a second, I thought he was about to make an escape. I prepared to give chase, but to my surprise, he simply opened the car door for me, acting like a gentleman. “After you, ma’am.”

“What the hell are you doing?” I questioned, eyeing him with suspicion.

“Just thought I would do something nice for you.”

“Uh-huh.”

“You don’t trust me, do you?”

“Why should I?”

“Hmm, I guess you have a point.” He laughed.

Nonetheless, I got in the car. He closed the door, rounded the hood, and jumped into the passenger seat, buckling himself in.

I stared at him, trying to figure out his angle. He was up to something; I could almost taste it.

“What?” he asked, acting all innocent.

“You’re planning something.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Again, his eyes were unreadable, dark and murky. He ran his fingers through his thick hair. In that moment, I was taken aback by his chiseled features. His jaw looked like it had been sculpted from a cut of marble. His nose was sharp and pointed, with the slightest hint of crookedness. His brows were drawn straight over his eyes.

Damn.

I bit the inside of my lip in order to keep my hormones from surging. “Forget it,” I mumbled, driving off.

“Mind if I turn on some music?”

“Hmm?”

“Would you rather spend the whole ride in silence?” he asked.

“Oh, sure. Go ahead.”

He started to flick through the channels and settled with 108 Lite Rock. With a smile on his face, he leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and started tapping his foot.

“I used to listen to this song with my father,” I said.

“Oh?” He opened one eye to look at me. “Was he a fan of Ever Blue?”

“Yeah. He owned all of their records. Every Sunday, he’d turn on the record player and stow away in the garage restoring this old Mustang he bought at auction. My mother hated that thing. I thought it was pretty cool. My father always treated me like the son he never had. I guess that’s why I joined the army.” When I had finished talking, I suddenly felt weird.

Why had I said all of those things? It wasn’t like me to share such personal details of my life, let alone with a stranger – a criminal. What had gotten into me?

“I see.” He looked out the windshield, a distant haze painting his eyes like he was thinking of some faraway memory. “It was actually my brother who introduced me to the band. He had all of their posters plastered on his wall. He idolized them. He even snuck into some of their concerts.”

“Where is he now?”

“Dead.” The answer came as a shock. It was so blunt, like a bullet shattering through the car’s interior. I instantly regretted my question when the air around us became heavy. “Before you ask, I don’t want to talk about it. What’s in the past is in the past, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

I nodded. I could sympathize with that. There were plenty of things I’d be better off forgetting.

Emil leaned forward and turned up the volume, ending any possibility of further discussion.

I sighed under my breath, focusing on my driving. It was difficult with Emil in the car. As much as I wanted to ignore him, I was ever aware of his aura – his smell. I couldn’t believe I’d be living with this man for the next few months. Maybe I should ask Cruz for a change in assignment. Let someone else deal with this pervert.

* * *

Eventually, we arrived at my favorite diner. I pulled into a parking space and looked over at Emil. He didn’t move, and his features were relaxed.

Was he sleeping?

For a moment, I watched him. Despite everything he had done to annoy me, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for this man. His life hadn’t been easy. He had fallen on hard times and had made a few bad decisions along the way. Deep down, I hoped he could redeem himself during his time at VanGuard.

Gently, I reached forward and shook his arm.

In a sudden movement, he jerked up and grabbed my wrist, squeezing hard. His eyes were wild and distraught as he looked around.

“Emil. Shh. It’s just me,” I said in a soft, soothing voice. “You fell asleep during the car ride.”

His expression softened. “Sorry,” he mumbled, letting go of my wrist.

“You alright?”

“Fine,” he said, his voice curt.

“Okay.”

He leaned toward the dash, looking up at the diner. “Where are we?”

“Mo’s. This is my favorite place to grab dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“Did you think I was going to starve you?”

Emil was quiet for a moment before he chuckled. “Alright then, I could go for some food. But you’re paying.” He reached into his pockets, pulling out some lint. “Because I’m broke.”

I laughed. “Don’t worry, VanGuard is giving me an allowance to babysit you.”

“Oh, isn’t that nice of them,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Well, let’s go.”

And together, we walked inside and slipped into a booth. It was the first time I’d shared a meal with a man in a long, long time. A strange feeling crept into my chest as I looked over the table, admiring the way he looked, his face half-hidden behind his menu.

Damn, I had only been with him for a few hours and already I was getting soft.