His eyes lifted again.
This time, I followed the movement.
Above the headboard hung a large framed piece of abstract artwork—black and silver brushstrokes sealed behind glass.
Reflectiveglass.
Enough to catch movement.
Enough to show someone hiding if you looked at the right angle.
My pulse slowed—not because I was calmer, but because now my brain had shifted gears.
Josh’s eyes stayed locked on mine. Waiting.
Trusting me to handle it.
So I smiled softly and brushed my thumb along his hip. “Come here,” I murmured gently, like I was just pulling him closer to cuddle.
Inside, every sense I had was sharpening, but outside, my arm stayed draped loosely around Josh’s waist, fingers brushing lazily along his side while I let out a quiet breath, the picture of post-sex ease.
Josh’s fingers slid into mine, his grip tight.
I squeezed once in reassurance before letting his hand slip free.
“Hang on,” I said. “I’ll grab a towel.”
He nodded, keeping his face carefully neutral even when his eyes were clouded with terror.
I rolled off the bed and stood, stretching my arms over my head like I was working out a kink in my shoulders.
Everything had to look normal.
The bathroom door sat a few feet to the right of the tall bookshelf in the corner of the room.
Exactly where Josh’s eyes had flicked earlier.
I bent down casually and grabbed Josh’s belt lying on the floor. The leather slid through my fingers as I looped it once around my hand, testing the weight of it.
Not much, but it would do.
My other hand slipped into my pocket, fingers closing around the familiar shape of the small folding knife I carried everywhere. Again, not much, but still, I straightened and started toward the bathroom.
I stopped just before the doorway.
From here, I could still see Josh sitting on the bed behind me.
Still see the bookshelf from the corner of my eye.
Slowly, I turned my head.
The man was already looking at me, wedged behind the bookshelf like a trapped animal.
Mills.
Fuck, how had I missed him when I looked around?I had been too focused on Josh’s ass.
His eyes were wild as he realized I’d seen him.
