Page 31 of Defending Love
Eli shook his head. “For now, I’m not going to worry about those.” His nostrils flared as his green eyes sparkled. “I knew coming back to you was a mistake.”
When I tried to move away, he held me tight.
“Not a mistake, that’s the wrong word. I knew coming back would push my own boundaries. I told myself that I could keep my hands and feelings in check.” His lips quirked upward. “In most instances, I’m always in control, overly so.”
My tension eased as his words registered. “You’re not running away?”
“No.” He inhaled and took a step back. “I’m also breaking Guardian’s and my own rules. But if I have to choose between this” —he grinned— “and your safety, your safety comes first.”
“Don’t choose.” I lifted my palm to his chest. “I want you to do both.”
“Fuck, Dani, I’ll try.”
“Okay.” I lifted my hand, palm up. “Whatever we find, we find it together.”
He laid his palm in mine and squeezed. “Would you consider letting me do this alone?”
I shook my head. “Not a chance.”
Eli’s lips quirked in a silent gesture of concession.
My pulse raced as I released his hand and turned toward the keypad. Concentrating, I entered the numbers Mom told me: 1-9-8-3 and then hit the pound sign. A green light blinked. Holding my breath, I listened as the door opened.
Chapter
Twelve
Eli
* * *
Despite her determination, as the green light flashed, I stepped in front of her, shielding her. From what, I wasn’t sure. The door slowly opened, the sound of locking mechanisms moving.
“Eli,” she said, pushing me. “I want to see.”
I wasn’t certain what I feared would be within the safe. When Jack mentioned secrets, my mind went into overdrive with possibilities.
An empty cavity.
Worse yet, documentation of…
An alternate identity.
Another family.
Proof of infidelity.
Offshore bank accounts.
Truly, the list was exhaustive.
The inside wasn’t empty. The initial relief that this treasure trove hadn’t been pillaged was instantaneously replaced by concern about what the contents would uncover.
“Wait,” I said as Dani reached inside. “Gloves. We should have Guardian dust the items to learn if there are any fingerprints beyond your parents.”
She turned to me with her beautiful swollen lips held tightly between her teeth and nodded.
I pulled two more sets of latex gloves from my suit coat pocket. Once we both had them on, we began emptying the contents. Documents, notebooks, boxes of coins, jewelry boxes, an old photo album…we didn’t stop to examine anything until all of the contents were removed.
