Page 11 of Reckless Love

I cross my arms.

“Mrs. Santos,” he practically growls. “I’m putting your son in the car, and if you’re not in there, I’ll send another car to get you. You can stand here by yourself and wait for it.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.”

Honestly, I’d rather not. In the past, Stephen’s stubborn streak paired with mine led to several uncomfortable situations. That, yes, he eventually got me out of.

Throwing a glare in his direction, I practically stomp around the car in my heels and get into the back. Landon is shaken, and he might need me. Letting Stephen leave me alone on the side of the road would only make things worse.

Instead of putting my son in the car, Stephen and Landon are engaged in some sort of conversation by the door. I can’t hear anything other than the low murmur of their voices, and I’m on the verge of getting back out when Landon opens the door and climbs in beside me.

“You okay?” I ask, running my hand over the soft hair on the top of his head.

“Stephen says that’ll never happen again.”

Does he? A shot of annoyance snakes down my spine, making me sit up straighter.

When Stephen slides into the driver’s seat, I meet his gaze in the mirror. “I try not to deal in absolutes with my son. He’s only five. He’ll think you can really stop that from happening again.”

“I can,” Stephen says. “When I’m with you or your son, this will not happen.”

“You’re not with us,” I say. “Other people are.”

“I am now,” he says, guiding us back onto the highway. “Marlo was too green to be with you alone. We’re short-staffed, but I’ll reassign and reprioritize the remaining people we have to keep you both safer.”

“Why would you be doing that?”

“The Bellerive division is mine to run,” he says.

“Since when?”

“Since about six months ago when I bought into the company.”

“You’ve been back on the island for six months?” A heaviness settles across my chest that he’s been here for so long and I never knew.

“Give or take,” he says, and his hands flex on the wheel.

“How have we never run into each other?”

“I don’t know why we would.”

“You’re security. The people I spend time with, the circles I’m in, are the type to employ you.”

“Yes.”

I let out a frustrated grumble that he’s giving me so little. This never used to be how our conversations went.

“But, what?” I say, trying to catch his gaze in the mirror. “You’re the boss, so you don’t need to actually guard people?”

“Something like that.”

“You lied to me the other day.”

“How so?”

“You said Owen was tied up with another assignment, and that’s why you came alone.”