Page 164 of This Life of Mine

Alex groans. “I was gathering information.”

“You traumatized a stoner.” I manage to say.

“Lina.”

“I’m sorry, but this is the funniest thing.”

His lips twitch despite himself. “I certainly got an earful from Reese when he found out the dipshit woke up and saw me.”

I catch my breath, still remembering how I thought EJ was absolutely bat shit crazy. Turns out it was my vigilante stalker scoping out my then friends-with-benefits house. This is all too surreal.

“I’m still processing the fact that you’re like a real-life version of Kylo Ren mixed with The Punisher. I mean, I knew you hurt bad people. This, though…” I point at the gear.

“You don’t have a lightsaber or C4 in your pocket, do you?” I ask jokingly.

Alex chuckles. “No, love,” he says warmly.

“No lightsaber or C4. I do have knives sheathed throughout the gear and a SIG strapped to my side.”

Well. That wasn’t the answer I was expecting.

I look at him for a beat. Most men would have laughed and said no. Alex casually confirms he’s armed enough to invade a small army.

I take a renewed interest in the mask, studying it from a safer distance. The matte black finish catches the light differently than I expected. It’s sleek. Intimidating. And, if I’m being completely honest with myself, unfairly attractive.

A memory surfaces, and I wish it hadn’t. Years ago, I may or may not have had a completely unreasonable crush on Kylo Ren. Okay. I definitely did.

There was something about the dark clothes, the mask, the dangerous intensity, and the whole tortured-man-with-questionable-life-choices thing.

Apparently, my taste in fictional men should have been a warning sign. Because now there’s an actual six-foot-something vigilante standing before me with tactical gear and a mask, and my brain’s response is not concern. It’s interest.

I narrow my eyes at the helmet.

“What is it made of? Kevlar or something?”

“It’s made of ballistic composite. Though my vest is made of Kevlar.” Alex smiles, amused by my questioning.

“It looks heavy. And it covers your whole head. It honestly looks really uncomfortable.”

Alex smiles at the thought. “Sometimes it is.

My gaze returns to the mask, which looks more like a helmet.

“How the heck do you see in that thing?” I ask.

“Do you want to try it on?” He asks me.

I light up. “Absolutely!”

Chapter fifty

Lina

Alex picks the mask up and releases the latches along the sides. He walks over and turns it toward me. The moment the mask opens, a series of small lights illuminate the interior.

“You ready?” He asks, smiling.

“It’s not going to smell like a boy’s locker room in this thing, is it?”