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was sure he had worse to offer. That was not my concern at the moment. I was worried that perhaps he would be triggered into another episode. I wanted him to be relaxed. Not worried about what I could and could not handle. At the moment I could handle anything.
                  “I have my own scars, James. I can’t imagine what it is you’ve done. But I’m not an idiot. That mob boss obviously saw something in you he thought he could use to his benefit. You might not have been an angel, but you were an innocent just the same.”
                  “Darlin’ I haven’t been innocent for a long, long time. And I certainly didn’t have a come to Jesus awakening on that bridge. I saw something in your eyes that maybe there was hope for my worthless soul and I selfishly took. If you don’t leave after a while I will no doubt break you as I have all the other women in my life. I don’t want that for you.”
                  “I’m a grown woman, James--,”
                  “Rayna, you killed out of opportunity and a need to survive protect yourself. You carry that with. I killed. Not out of protection. When Catalano offered me the job of bodyguard to his beautiful wife I didn’t twice about taking the job. He was a masterful boss, but he could a cruel, cold and violent husband. I spent a lot of time comforting her. We became lovers. We thought we were being discreet. Until one day she asked me to run away with her. And I was young enough. And headstrong and willful was quite the romantic. We mapped out a plan. Until the day came and as I pulled up to the house I saw an ambulance carrying her lifeless body out. I turned the car around and I left that city, that state and never looked back.”
                  “That’s not all though is it?”
                  He got very quiet and very still.
                  He wasn’t telling me everything. I couldn’t make him say anything else either. But I remembered the national news being all a twitter over the execution style death of Tony Catalano. In my gut I knew it was James behind it. He wasn’t going to tell me that though. That was his secret and wasn’t going to force a confession out of him. It would neither of us any good.
                  “I’ve killed men. I’ve killed women. For the same reason. I was hired to. Some jobs were easier than others. But I never took the life of an innocent person. To my knowledge anyway. When I exchanged vows with my wife I came here where she had roots. She cheated on me and ran off with her lover. Karma. You something different though. You have secrets, but you’re a good woman. I’m not a good man. But as long your offering you’re heart to me I’m not kind enough to leave something alone. Bad things could happen to you in my world.”
                  “My life has stunk to high heaven. Maybe I shouldn’t be drawn to you. But I am. Karma be damned. I choose life. I choose love. I choose you.”
                  He kissed me. Not sweetly or tenderly. But forcefully with fire and passion and heat. He crushed my body to his and everything about his raw, animal sexuality set my soul on fire. I wanted more. I wanted to be consumed. I wanted to be possessed by him and him alone. Right or wrong. Good or bad. I wanted his love. Because no matter what society said about either of us we understood each other. We spoke one another’s language. He was warning me but with that kiss we were admitting, to ourselves and one another, we were all in, come Hell or high water.
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Ten
                  It was pushing supper time when I hit the doors at home. Ellen hadn’t made it home from work yet. I needed a shower. And it was incumbent upon me to get dinner started in her absence. She wouldn’t approve of how fast this relationship was moving. She rarely approved of any of my