He's bluffing. He has to be bluffing. Jack doesn't want custody—he doesn't want Lily. He wants control. He wants me scared and compliant and small.
But what if he's not bluffing? What if he actually?—
A hand touches my arm.
I spin, a strangled sound escaping my throat, and find myself staring up at Nico Sartori.
Nico
"What's going on?"
Kristen flinches, her hand still pressed against her chest like she's trying to keep her heart from escaping.
"Nothing." She forces a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "Everything's fine."
Bullshit.
I heard her voice through the door. Not the words, but the tone. The way it dropped to something small and tight. The way she said no like she'd said it a thousand times before and knew it wouldn't matter.
"Try again." I step closer. "What did he say?"
Her chin lifts. That stubborn set to her jaw I'm starting to recognize. "It's just a small thing with Lily's father. Nothing that affects my work here."
She's lying. Not about the father part—I know that much is true. But the small thing? The tremor in her hands says otherwise.
"I won't make personal calls during work hours again," she adds quickly. "It was unprofessional. I'm sorry."
Like I give a damn about phone policies.
"I don't care about that."
Her brow furrows. "You don't?"
"No."
"Oh." She blinks, confusion flickering across her face. Then something else—wariness. "Then why are you—" She stops herself. Shakes her head. "Never mind. I should get back to Lily."
She moves to step around me.
I don't let her.
My hand catches the wall beside her head, cutting off her escape route. She freezes, back pressing against the cool plaster. Her eyes go wide, but not with fear. Not exactly.
I've seen fear before. I've caused it. I know what it looks like when someone thinks they're about to die.
This isn't that.
"What did he say to you?" A command, not a request.
"Nico—"
"You were scared." I lean closer, boxing her in with my body. Close enough to smell vanilla in her hair. Close enough to see the faint shadows under her eyes that makeup can't quite hide. "I heard it in your voice. So tell me what he said."
Her throat works as she swallows. "It's not your problem."
"Wrong answer."
"It's really not?—"
