His eyes dipped, darkening. Then his head shook. “Because it means someone is after me. The company.” That shadowy gaze flickered over me. “Everything that’s important to me.”
His head collapsed back on the headrest, something that looked like exhaustion chained with anger tiring his face.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted. “I might not have said this a few weeks ago, but it’s very clear how much this company means to you. You don’t deserve this.”
With his yes on the roof, his shoulders rustled, like he was unravelling weeks of tension. “Romano is everything to me, because without it, I probably wouldn’t be here. I know I wouldn't.” Like he’d caught himself saying something he shouldn’t, like he’d already let that stoic mask slip enough tonight, he sat up, straightened himself, and threw on his usual bravado. “But we’re getting close to nailing this guy.”
I had to let go of all the questions stacking up in my brain, the itch of getting to know more than what was just on the surface. So I straightened, snapped out of it, and smiled. “Yeah? That’s good.”
He nodded slightly. “Whoever’s doing this is controlling it all from your beautifully complicated city.”
My brows raised. “London?”
His voice dipped into another accent. “That’s right,mate.”
My lips pulled tight, holding in my laugh. “Okay. That was Australian, for one.” His chuckle mingled with mine that, let’s face it, had no intention of staying quiet. “And two, does that mean you’ll have to go there?”
“It’s undecided at the moment.”
“Well,” I looked to him, hands folding over one another in my lap. “If youdohave to go, I’ll happily tag along so you don’t go missing on the Tube.” His eyes turned to me, and I could tell he was still hiding that smile. “I’m serious. If I don’t go with you, I can guarantee you’d stay holed up in your hotel room, with the curtains drawn because you hate the sunlight—”
“I don’t hate the sunlight—”
“And you won’t see anything of what my home has to offer.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I just don’t do tourist destinations.”
The only way to describe my expression was one of bewilderment. “Youlivein a tourist destination.”
His eyes went knowing. “And you wonder why I don’t leave the house?”
My lips curved in a way they hadn’t in ages. “I think you could love it if you let yourself.” I earned back his dark brown,and while I had him, I pounced. “Make me a promise that if you do go to London, I’ll come with. I don’t want anyone else following me around apart from you.”
I caught the way his eyes lingered on me, curious, like he couldn’t quite figure out what had gotten into me. And maybe I imagined it, but for a second there was a flicker of something lighter, like he didn’t mind the attention. Like I wasn't the burden I saw myself as whenever he groaned or rolled his eyes.
“Why?” He asked, his voice low, like a purr.
The leather seat slipped under my leggings as I shuffled closer. “Well, for one, if you’re helping me, it’s only fair I return the favour. I’m going to make you enjoy life again. Because it’s more than just work and darkness. Believe me.”
His expression didn’t change. Those perfectly casted shadows and handsome edges of his face stayed so still. “And two?”
Whatever was caught in my throat bobbed, as my stare fell deeper into his. “I’ve grown fond of you, I think.”
Finally, Marcus nodded, his eyes shining like he’d forgotten to keep them shielded. “Fine. Deal.”
For a moment, I forgot why we were sitting here, staring at each other, pretending we weren’t becoming more than just the guard and the crown. But just as I let my mind slip into that place it had during training, a rustle came from outside the car, jerking our attentions forward.
It was then, as my eyes scanned the cars ahead of us, the empty pavement, that I saw the face that had been haunting my thoughts every day since I last saw it.
He was in the doorway of his home, or what I thought was his home. Waiting on the doorstep, his foot perched on the threshold, his body leaned against the frame. His attention was on his phone, scrolling. And I hated how something so evil appeared so casual.
So… normal.
I suddenly became very aware of my breath, like one heavy one and Jamie’s head would turn directly at me, finding me. My lungs tightened the longer I stared at him, trapped in whatever trance I was in.
He looked the same. His head was still shaved, the tattoo on the left of his skull blurry against the fuzz. His skin seemed redder than the usual pale shade it always was, like he’d forgotten SPF this week.
I felt Marcus move beside me, but I didn’t dare move. One wrong twitch and he’d know I was here. I knew it. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was watching me through his phone right now. My eyes pinged to the street camera directly to the left of us on the other side of the street, then back to Jamie. All without moving a muscle.
