Casing ??

Chapter 12

"If your dad figures it out, I won't lie if he asks me what I know," he said, and I jumped up to hug him with a weird sound coming from my throat.

It was relief in the sound, as well as surprise and a tiny bit of disbelief. But he didn't seem to care as he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me back.

"I love you," I said, meaning it too.

"I love you, Elina," he said back, his voice hoarse, "but please don't be stupid. Any red flags at all, call me, and I'll take care of it."

"I promise."

With some sort of permission, it was easier to prepare for whatever James had planned for us next. He told me to pack warm clothes and a book, and I wasn't one to object to that. Though, I wondered if it was because there'd be a lot of waiting, or if I'd get bored. I decided not to dwell on it and do as he said.

I was ready by the the curb by the time the black car came up, and the back door swung open in front of me. James' bright smile met me immediately, and he came out to put my bag in the back. "You look beautiful," he said, kissing my cheek when my bag was secured in the trunk.

"You look handsome," I told him, after surveying his attire. There was no suit or shirt on him this time. He wore dark jeans and a thick, knitted sweater in a warm brown color that brought out his skin tone.

"Hi, Borgen," I said once we were seated inside the car. The driver only nodded back, acknowledging that he at least heard me.

"Even when I told you to dress warm, you're in a dress," James commented as the car began taking us away. "At least it's thick."

"It's very warm, thank you." I sent him a scowl, patting down the skirt of it over my thighs. It was a woolen dress with sleeves that I'd put on over a thick pair of tights, with boots. So I wasn't cold. At least not yet. And I'd also brought a thick sweater to have on top, just in case.

I felt, rather than saw, James smirking my way. "I could keep you warm if not," he whispered, and then he groaned. "Why did I even tell you to bring warm clothes? Fuck, this would've been so much better if I could warm you myself."

There was no doubt in my mind I'd enjoy that very much, but I was a little thankful for the obvious space the warm clothing had created between us. I was looking forward to seeing what he'd planned, though, and the anticipation only grew when I looked out the window and saw we were heading out of the city again.

"Will we be close to any Strac businesses tonight?" The question flew out of my mouth before I could think it over, accompanied by a small smirk.

James chuckled and reached for my hand. "No," he said, "and if we're interrupted tonight, I'm resigning."

"Does Damian know that?" I asked, looking up at him through my lashes.

"He does, and he laughed in my face when I told him, so I don't think he believed me, but I'm dead serious." He lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles, like he'd already done so many times. "No one keeps me from getting to know my future wife, not even him."

He couldn't be serious about any of that, so I laughed and let him kiss my hand again. A tiny voice in my head told me I had to keep my phone close, with Hank's number open, but another—louder—one told me I had to let this man keep me warm in the cold fall evening.

The rest of the car ride was spent with James telling me about the four men from our last date. The one with a bullet in his shoulder wasn't very badly hurt, and the other one could probably use his leg normally again. With time. The other two were apparently very cooperative after we'd left, and they'd found three more traitors with their help—three more who hadn't seen the next day.

Why he told me all of that, I didn't know. Maybe it was some sort of test, to see how far he could push it before I'd crack, or to see how accustomed I really was to this life. I'd heard similar stories all the time growing up, so I didn't flinch—like a normal person probably would—when he said he killed one of them alone.

I wasn't surprised either. To be honest, I was surprised they didn't kill them all on site, but then again, I didn't really know them or their methods.

With that out of the way, James had his amazing smile on his face when the car stopped. He said, "We'll go on foot the rest of the way."

Thankfully, my boots didn't have the highest heels. "I'm not sure you're not taking me out to nowhere to kill me this time," I muttered as he helped me out of the car. I didn't really need the help—I'd gotten used to the height of it by now—but I liked that he offered without thinking twice about it.

"What would be the fun in that?" He sounded amused. "I'd rather kill you slowly with worry for the rest of our lives."

"You have to stop with that," I told him, my voice harsher than I meant to. "This is our second date, James."

"And you agreed to come," he remarked, winking at me as he pulled our bags from the trunk of the car. He patted the back twice, signaling to the driver that he could leave, and then he took my hand and started walking on the small trail into the woods.

"I did, but that's because you're hot, not because you keep hinting that I'll be your wife some day." I scoffed at my own words, when I realized how true they were. He was hot, and I didn't really care how creepy it might be that he proposed to me within a week of meeting me.

It was probably a joke anyway.

He chuckled. "I knew I was handsome, but not that I was so hot a princess like you would ignore those red flags."

"Red flags?" I questioned. "Why do you say that stuff if you know how if sounds?"

"I can't hold it in," he replied, his voice a little lower, as if he was ashamed. "I've never met anyone I've been so sure about, and it scares me, but I can't not try either."

His words made me rethink all his previous statements. Maybe they weren't red flags at all, but a promise of a future—if I could handle all the other elements of his life.

Our lives.

I was a part of the family, whether I liked it or not. I didn't have to be out and about for that to be a fact. I'd been a Strac since I was born, and that realization made my hand tighten around James'. Even if I'd moved to Durfair, I'd have been a Strac.

So maybe—maybe I could just enjoy the life I'd been born into, and take advantage of all the handsome perks that came with it. Starting with this man, and his dates, and his somewhat creepy promise that I'd eventually end up marrying him.