Page 13 of Man of Honor

JJ looked ready to fire back, but Luis beat him to it with a laugh.“I like her,” he declared, eyes twinkling.“She’s feisty.”

These kids understood each other best through a little good-natured ribbing, and Ivy knew it, too.But she was hitting her breaking point; I could feel it in the way she pressed closer to me.As if she knew I'd protect her if it turned out she'd read the room wrong.She didn't like me or trust me, but I was her safest option at the moment.What a terrible feeling that must be.I opened my mouth to calm the boys down, but suddenly, the shadow of a man appeared in the doorway behind Worm.

“That’s enough.” The voice was calm and quiet, but I don’t think anyone could ever mistake it for gentle.

The boys froze with identical, hangdog looks of guilt.Ivy noticed their abrupt change at a glance and went on high alert.One look at Gideon, and the defiance in her eyes instantly guttered and died.She shrank back against me, shivering.

Never could put my finger on it, but something about Gideon Beaufort was unsettling.He had a sealed juvie record I'd never cracked, not even with special clearance, but beyond that, he'd never been in even a whisper of trouble.While his brothers were out raising hell, he was taking seminary classes.He volunteered at food banks and charities throughout Devil's Garden, and he spearheaded the foster program.By all accounts, Gideon was a stand-up guy, righteous and pious, but I could never bring myself to completely trust him.Eyes never lied, and his...they were alien.

He looked at Ivy, neither smiling nor trying to put her at ease.Respecting her fear. “Come with me,” he said gently.“We’ll talk.”

Since picking her up at the hospital, I’d been careful not to touch her any more than necessary, but I gave her shoulders a solid squeeze when she curled against me.“You’ll be okay,” I assured her.

Gideon met my eyes and gave a faint nod.He had no illusions about how people felt around him.

“Yeah, he’s cool,” Luis volunteered, flashing his irrepressible grin.Worm nodded so enthusiastically he looked like a bobblehead, and JJ offered the barest hint of a smile, like he was passing a message without words:he’s not the enemy.Theycame from different walks of life, but they all had one thing in common—a ferocious mistrust of authority.

Ivy didn’t look convinced, but she seemed to realize she didn’t have much choice.She sucked in a quavering breath, squared her shoulders, and finally peeled her hand free of my uniform.It was a good act, but as she followed Gideon out the door, I caught her muttering in a dark voice, “Brilliant.Save me from assault and then leave me alone with a Catholic priest.”

Gideon definitely overheard, but he didn’t react.He led her to his office across the hall, leaving the door wide open behind them.I leaned against the door frame to watch, close enough to step in if the girl needed but far enough not to intrude.Through the open door, I watched as Gideon pulled his chair around to face her instead of staying behind his desk.Ivy perched on the edge of her seat, arms crossed tightly around her middle.Holding herself together again.Gideon leaned forward, hands clasped loosely between his knees, and spoke in that low, measured tone he reserved for Sunday mornings.

Whatever he was saying, it was too quiet for me to make out, but I could see the effect it had on Ivy.Her posture softened by degrees.She nodded once, and then spoke—hesitantly at first, but with more confidence as she went on.In the end, she did most of the talking.Gideon merely listened, nodding occasionally and speaking rarely.His eyes never left her face.It was like watching a shell start to crack open in real time.

“That’s how it is,” JJ snorted, dropping back into his beanbag and retrieving his controller.“Nobody stays scared for long.”

Luis nodded in agreement. “It’s voodoo, man.Pure voodoo.”

There was a reason so many people turned to him when they had nowhere else to go, religious or not, but magic wasn’t it.More like a knack for gentle manipulation.Gideon understood human nature and was skilled at reading others, so he had a rare ability to make people feel seen and heard.I was envious of the talent; it would be handy in my line of work.

I couldn’t help but wonder what Ivy was telling him.Gage didn't trust me as far as he could throw me, and even if he did, he'd still refuse to seek my help.That's just how he was. In his world, everything was settled in the streets.Whoever attacked them was still out there, and without any leads to go on, my hands were tied.

Almost like he’d read my thoughts, Gideon raised his head and caught my eye, giving me a subtlehead shake.I got it. Either she hadn’t told him anything, or it was a confidence he’d neverbreak.Either way, I was still at squareone.

Her hospital records hadn’t saidmuch.The worst of her injuries were a severe concussion and some nasty bruising, but at least she hadn’t been sexuallyassaulted.That was one mercy. She’d been bouncing between foster homes foryears.I didn’t blame her. I’d seen the condition of some of those homes myself; they were nothing like EdenHouse.If she’d figured out that sometimes running was safer than staying…well, I couldn’t fault her forthat.

I knew another guy exactly likethat.The same man she was hero-worshippingnow.The lesson had been imprinted on Gage's heart young, and maybe, I thought with a twist of guilt, I’d only carved it deeper when I turned my back on him five yearsago.

When he’d needed memost.

Chapter Six

WYATT

I hadn’t plannedon sticking around, but Loretta could tempt a man like no other.Before I knew it, I was wandering the long halls of Eden House, lured by the scent of coffee and freshly baked bread.My stomach was growling. I downed a pre-workout shake before hitting the gym every morning, but it had already worn off before I’d even picked the girl up from the hospital.Besides, no one could pass up Loretta’s home cooking.If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have eaten a decent meal since my folks moved to Florida.

The house felt peaceful in the early morning quiet, but I couldn't shake my uneasiness.There was a lot I didn't like about Ivy's case.Darkness had taken root in Devil’s Garden, and the Dead End seemed to be its locus.That dive bar was like the wild west, so dangerous most deputies refused to respond unless they had backup, and by the time that backup arrived, the suspects had usually fled.A teenager had no business anywhere near that place.

I was frowning and lost in thought when I rounded the corner into the kitchen—and stopped dead.

Gage was there, leaning against the counter, fingers drumming on the tile as he stared down at a brewing coffee pot.His hair was falling messily over his forehead, and a pair of rumpled jeans were slung low on his hips.He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed.

I couldn’t look away. I tried; I swear I tried.But there wasn’t enough willpower in the world to keep me from drinking in every inch of that bare, golden skin.Time had chiseled away every ounce of boyishness.His chest was sculpted and every ridge of his abs was perfectly defined, mouthwatering despite the medical tape spanning his ribs.I’d spent enough time in the gym to appreciate the dedication and self-discipline it took to forge a body like that: sculpted, honed, and exuding raw sex.He was beautiful. The kind of reckless beauty that could ruin a man.

My throat was so dry it made a clicking sound when I swallowed.I’d been strong enough to walk away from him once.But now? God help me, he was driving the good sense right out of me.

I forced myself to blink and finally managed to tear my gaze away.

“You dropping off the girl?” Gage asked, looking up at me with eyes still heavy with sleep.