We look at each other and nod. “Right,” we both say.
“Because all I want, all I’veeverwanted for both of you, is for you to be happy and safe. Preferably with me but if it can’t be with me at least with each other. El, I know you’d chase Jor to the ends of the earth. Literally. And with the Secret Service, you can absolutely keep him safe. And Jor.” He squeezes Jordan’s hand hard. “I know you love El enough that you’d do whatever it takes to protect and take care of him, wouldn’t you?”
That chill from a few weeks ago suddenly washes through me as the hint of a grim smile flickers across Jordan’s lips. “You know I will, Leo.”
Leo nods to him before focusing on me again. I don’t know what that was but I do know they likely will never tell me the full story.
The words fall from my lips before I can stop them. “Grace Martin.”
They both look at me with practiced masks dropping in place, an especially impressive feat for Leo considering his currently medicated state.
“What about her?” Leo asks after squeezing Jordan’s hand, ostensibly to keep him quiet.
I stare at their hands, where Leo’s literal white-knuckle grip on Jordan absorbs my focus for a long moment.
I think about the days and weeks following her death.
The glances my men sometimes exchanged when anyone mentioned her.
The looks they traded in the church during and immediately after her funeral.
That chill washes through me again. “You’re never going to tell me what really happened, are you?” I finally ask.
“She died,” Leo says. “Drug overdose.”
I suck wind through my teeth. “Yeeeaaah,” I slowly say. “Funny how you’ve never told me everything about your visits with her, Jordan.” My gaze bores into his and he doesn’t so much as blink as he returns it.
I don’t look at Leo when he speaks. “Are you accusing him of cheating on us, pet?”
Oh,fuckno, Leo’snotdropping me into subspace right now. I won’t let him. “Didn’t say that. But I hold the fucking nuclear codes and you two have a cone of silence about this that feels like it’s a thousand times more secret.”
Jordan blinks first and looks to Leo, who tugs on my hand to get me to look at him.
“It was a drug overdose, El,” he says, his brown gaze meeting mine. “It is what it looked like. Did Grace Martin have nefarious plans which were conveniently circumvented by her untimely death? Yes. Do you ever need to know what those were? No.”
“Was she planning something with Stella?”
“No,” he says. “This was all on her own. She was planning on rat-fucking Stella in the process. That’s where some of the information I dropped on Stella that night came from.” His gaze remains on me even as he tips his head toward Jordan. “Jordan got some of it for me and I took it from there to flesh out Stella’s dossier. But considering how you flipped out over Jordan fake-snuggling with Kayley a few weeks ago, and that Grace isdead, and has been foryears, do youreallywant us to tell you details that literally do not matter now?”
This still doesn’t feel…complete. Like there are gaping holes in their narrative.
But instead of a massive, open, sucking void, at least now it feels like a protective net covers it, one which hopefully won’t allow my men to be dragged into it, beyond even my considerable ability to protect them both.
“And there’s nothing that happened regarding her death that either of you will ever be held responsible for?” I ask.
“No,” Leo says. “I swear. The official report stands as-is, I promise you.”
Jordan still holds Leo’s hand but he reaches out and takes my free hand and squeezes. “I’ve never cheated on either of you. I swear. But Grace was planning some serious fuckery and I had to make sure Leo had everything he needed to stop her. The timing and her personal demons worked in our favor and, yes, I hate to admit it made life way easier for us. I said whatever I needed to say to her to win her trust. Leo’s right that it’s in the past and no longer matters. Her scheme died with her. Did we withhold that part from the police? Yeah, because it would have opened a can of worms and only hurt her family and made things messier for you.”
I focus on him again, staring into his eyes. This feels…
This feels like what Iwantto believe. Because it makes sense.
It damned sure makes more sense than the idea of Jordan having a hand in her death. The police cleared him—he was nowhere near her apartment at her time of death. Neither was Leo.
“You’re a territorial pet,” Leo says, humor returning to his tone. “Do youhonestlythink we’re stupid enough to let you know how the sausage is made in a situation like that?”
I take a deep breath. “No more fake dating for Jordan.Ever. Not even with Kayley.Promiseme. You’re right, I can’t deal with it.”
