Claim - Page 87

He nodded. “But you will be. You’re strong. And Beau will help you.”

Tears pricked my eyes, and I nodded. Gio was another connection. Another reminder that I wasn’t alone.

“Thanks, Gio.”

He gripped my shoulder. “Karina was a good girl. She wouldn’t want you doing something stupid like blaming yourself.”

“I know.”

With a nod, he headed toward the boxing rings.

I headed back to Beau’s office. I spotted my bodyguard, Lincoln, sitting on a bench nearby. He had shaggy blond-brownhair and looked like he should be on a surfboard catching a wave. When our gazes met, he gave me a chin lift. I waved back.

In the office, I sat in Beau’s creaky chair and opened the laptop. I was setting up a new bill payment system online. That way we could avoid Beau having piles of invoices on his desk. In the short time I’d been at Hard Burn, I’d learned that the man hated doing any sort of paperwork.

I tapped my finger on the desk. I liked this. I liked helping with the business side of the gym. I could see the attraction of running your own business. It was what I’d been studying at college.

If Beau was right, and we stopped Carr, I could go back to college. I could finish my degree.

And what about you and Beau?

I worried my bottom lip. I wasn’t sure, but I knew we had something. Something special.

I was falling for the man.

Once we didn’t have Carr hanging over our heads, I’d talk to him.

Beau was currently at Reath’s security office. I knew they were discussing how to find Carr. I’d wanted to go, but Beau had been firm that I had to stay at the gym. To be honest, right now, I didn’t want to think about Carr.

I got busy, and thirty minutes later, Beau returned. His face was so serious that it made my chest lock.

“I’m out of here,” Lincoln called out. “Bye, Bell.”

“Bye.” My gaze stayed on Beau. “Thanks, Lincoln.” I rose from the desk chair. “Hey.”

He closed the door, and the look on his face made it hard to breathe. A part of me was afraid he was going to send me away. Tell me he was done dealing with all this trouble.

“We’re looking for Carr,” he said. “The New Orleans PD, Reath’s team, Colt.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded.

“He’s good at hiding.”

“I know. I’m sorry, Beau—”

He closed the distance between us and gripped my arms. “You havenothingto be sorry about.”

I leaned into him, and let his warmth seep into my cold skin. “It doesn’t feel like that.”

He smoothed a hand up my back. “I know he’ll come at you again.”

I looked up and saw his jaw working.

“We already knew that.” I smoothed my hand over his beard.

“You arenotalone,” Beau growled. “Promise me, we work together. We bring Carr down together.”

I nodded and felt warmth unfurl in my chest.