Her fingers gripped her skirt. “I ran into Jacob Worley.”
He crossed his arms. He had thought as much. Had seen something in her eyes. Had been stupid to let her leave without him. As soon as he’d gotten the information he needed, he had run back. Gone around to the kitchen,knowingthat something was off.
“And what did he have to tell you?”
“That you were the killer. That his precious Melissande was next, and then it would be my turn.”
Dark thoughts wound through his head. “His precious Lady Dentryisnext. But you should be nowhere on the list.”
“Perhaps it was his way to scare me.” She gripped her skirt. “It worked.”
“Why did he think you were next? What did he say?” Fear coursed through him.
“That was all.”
He walked forward and touched her chin, lifting it so he could see everything in her eyes.“What did he say?”
She swallowed, her eyes still locked with his. “He said I had to kill you first, or you’d kill me.”
“And nothing else? He just mentioned me?” His knees locked.
“Yes.”
He dropped his hand and stepped back, his fingers unwilling to relinquish touching her on their own. He opened the linen press door. “I will take you to the house where your brother is. It will take an hour to make sure we aren’t followed. Gather your things now.”
“What?”
He undid the other button on his trousers, letting them hang loose, and reached for a new shirt. A hand curled around his arm and forcefully tried to turn him. His shirt dropped to the floor.
“I am not going anywhere.”
He turned the rest of the way toward her, her fingers burned his flesh. “There is the possibility you have been targeted.”
“That makes no sense. I had nothing to do with—”
He grabbed the hand branding his arm. A strange tingle of panic ran through him. “It doesn’t matter. We aren’t dealing with someone who has a full set of faculties. If Worley is at all involved, he may have targeted you.”
“But you said Worley didn’t do it.”
“That doesn’t mean he isn’t in the midst of it. What if he switches his ire to you? Instead of doing me harm, he decides to harm you instead?”
He could see the shaken look in her brown eyes, and it echoed in the pit of his stomach. “No.”
“Yes. Now go pack.”
She crossed her arms, the long smooth curve of her neck tilting toward him. “I’m not leaving.”
“Now is not the time for heroics. You have helped your brother. We will find out who is responsible. Your family will be back together by the end of the week. You will be safe.”
She poked him in the chest, hard, her fingertip resting against his bare skin. “I’m not leaving you.”
“You are.”
“You are in far greater danger than I.” Her finger trailed an inch down his chest before dropping to her side.
“I’m in no more danger than I’ve ever been. Especially from myself, it seems.”
She looked down. “Oh, Gabriel.”
