Page 167 of This Life of Mine

“Exactly.”

His eyes lock on mine. “It’s easier to get the truth when people fear the unknown. When they can’t find humanity in front of them. When they don’t know whether they’re dealing with a man, a myth, or something in between.”

In that instant, I understand. The mask isn’t for Alex. It’s for them—the people he hunts—the people he wants afraid. The people he wants second-guessing every shadow and dark corner they encounter. It’s intimidation. Psychological warfare wrapped in matte black armor.

Though this is all a bit disarming, I smile as a thought comes to mind. Because while I can appreciate how terrifying this thing must appear to the wrong person, I’m discovering I have a very different reaction to it.

Instead, I’m fascinated by it.

Maybe it’s because I know the man beneath it. Or maybe it’s because the man beneath it happens to be ridiculously attractive. Whatever the reason, the mask has completely failed to intimidate me. If anything, it has the opposite effect. I’m drawn to it.

Just six years ago I was arguing with Cole over grocery budgets and pretending our marriage wasn’t slowly killing me. Now I’m sitting in a cover location having a conversation with a ridiculously attractive vigilante who hunts dangerous people for a living.

I scrub a hand over my face.

This is the kind of thing that lives in my Kindle. The kind of story I stay up until two in the morning devouring because I can’t put it down. The brooding morally gray man with a mysterious past. The genius hacker best friend. The secret identities. The dangerous missions. And the ridiculous amount of money that somehow always accompanies people who spend their lives doing things that should absolutely land them in prison.

Somehow, I’ve managed to stumble face-first into that exact storyline.

If I told Val any of this, she’d assume I’ve gone insane. Honestly, I’d probably assume the same thing.

A giggle bursts forth before I can hold it back.

Alex’s brow furrows. “What’s funny?”

I smile. “Nothing.”

“Lina.”

“I’m realizing how insane this all sounds.” My hands rest on my neck and shoulders, trying to tug the tension in them out.

His expression doesn’t change.

“You realize you’re basically the walking embodiment of every BookTok boyfriend, right?”

Alex blinks. “Every what?”

“It means you’re tall, mysterious, typically emotionally unavailable, ridiculously competent, secretly rich, and apparently spend your free time hunting bad people in the dark.”

A smile threatens the corner of his mouth. “And what am I supposed to do with this information?”

“Nothing. I’m just having a moment.” I blink my eyes closed, trying to stop myself from sounding like a lunatic.

“A moment?”

“Yeah.” I lean back and stare at the ceiling. “A moment where I’m forced to acknowledge that I’ve somehow wandered into the plot of a romance suspense novel.”

His laugh is quiet. “And which character are you?”

I glance at him. “The woman making increasingly questionable life choices.”

That earns an actual laugh from him.

And honestly? I can’t even argue with the assessment.

The craziest part is that none of it makes me want to leave. If anything, it makes me want to plant my stance.

I glance back at the mask resting atop the armor. Then to Alex.