He leaned forward on his elbows. “For the record, your dad’s last words were exactly what I told you they were. Things between him and me went down like I said they did, and I’m here for the reason I told you I was.”

“But just in case you’re not—”

“I am,” he said roughly. There’d been a time when he robbed people. But he was not a liar. If he’d failed to keep his word in prison, he wouldn’t have lasted long. “A few other guys heard what your dad said to me at the end. I’ll give you their names, and you can double-check my story.”

Seconds passed. She held his gaze. “That won’t be necessary.”

His blood carried a premonition through his veins. Finley represented trouble for him. Terrible trouble.

The most dangerous thing he’d have to deal with on this hunt . . .

Was her.

CHAPTER FIVE

Akira had a dreadful habit.

Three times in the past, she’d fallen in love with men at first sight. Three times, love at first sight had not worked out well for her.

Thus, when she and Finley settled in at Pablo’s on Tuesday for lunch with a prospective volunteer, she had no intention of falling in love at first sight. Today or ever again.

But then she glanced up and actually saw the male volunteer making his way toward their table.

Her internal shields trembled.

Finley waved to the stranger. He strode through the casual interior of the restaurant, which smelled of pulled pork and frying tortillas.

“Finley?” he asked as they stood up.

“That’s me.”

“I’m Ben Coleman.” They shook hands. “Nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure’s mine.” Finley gestured to her. “This is my co-worker Akira Wells.”

“Hi.” He turned an easy, confident smile on her. His hand was dry. His handshake—exactly the right temperature and firmness. “I knew a girl named Kaya Wells in high school. Any relation?”

“Kaya’s my oldest sister. She’s now an investment banker in New York.”

“Good for her.”

“My other sister, Suki, would have been a few years behind you in school.”

“Oh yeah. I remember her, too.”

“She works in LA for a very successful consignment fashion start-up.”

“Great.”

Akira was, by far, the most unremarkable sibling and always took the opportunity to make that clear to new acquaintances.

They lowered to their seats. A server hurried over and claimed Ben’s attention, which gave Akira an opportunity to observe him.

Her own father was Black, her mother Japanese. Ben was the son of two African-American parents. His coloring was smooth and warm with a copper undertone. He had eyes of deep, rich brown. All those straight white teeth! All that laid-back kindness.

He was handsome. The kind of handsome that usually came with aloofness and superiority. Yet she didn’t catch a whiff of either of those things in Ben.