The thought of it scares me, so I force myself out of bed.
The hot water from the shower helps, working the tension out of my muscles. I wash away the sweat from last night, though part of me wants Roman’s scent to linger on my skin for just a bit longer. I stay under the water for a beat, replaying last night in my head.
By the time I dress in jeans and a soft sweater, I’m feeling better.
My phone buzzes on the nightstand. A text from Roman.
Come to the office—now.
My gut tenses. I step into my shoes and shove my phone into my pocket. It’s almost three, which means I’m about to be back on duty with Sasha.
My heart feels like it’s going to explode the moment I approach his office door. It’s cracked just a bit, but something about his text makes me not want to just barge in. I knock gently.
“Come.”
I push open the door and enter. Roman’s back is to me as he stands at one of the room’s tall windows. The room is silent—no music, no ticking clock, nothing. On his desk, I notice something out of the ordinary. Right in the center is a manila folder.
My stomach drops.
“Shut the door.”
I do. I approach the desk, my eyes locked on the folder. There’s no doubt in my mind that whatever is inside the folder is why I’m here.
No sense in dancing around it.
“What is this?”
“You tell me,” he says, his tone flat.
I close the distance and open the folder with trembling fingers. One glance is enough. Kyle. His name. His badge photo. Chicago PD. Intelligence Unit.
Oh no.The room suddenly feels small.
“I can explain,” I say quickly.
“You should have told me.” His voice isn’t loud, which somehow makes it worse. “A cop connection could destroy everything I’m trying to build. If my investors sense that I may be under investigation?—”
“I don’t know if you’re under investigation!” I shoot back. “Kyle doesn’t tell me what kinds of cases he’s working on.”
“He’s working intelligence, which means underground criminal operations.” He lets his words hang in the air, letting me fill in the blanks.
Another thought occurs to me. “You don’t think I’m helping him somehow, do you?”
He turns, his eyes meeting mine. “No. I had to make a decision one way or another on the matter, and no, I don’t.”
The worry boiling inside me tamps down just a bit, but it doesn’t disappear.
“Roman, I didn’t lie to hurt you. Kyle has no idea I work here or work for you. He’s deep undercover. I promised him I’d keep his job secret for safety. Mine and his. That’s why I gave you a fake name. That’s theonlyreason.”
Silence stretches.
I force myself to keep talking as my heart pounds. “I didn’t come here to spy on you. I came here because I needed a job. And I’ve stayed because your son needs someone. I care, Roman. I really do. A lot. About Sasha. About you.”
He studies me in silence like I’m a problem he needs to figure out. After what feels like hours, he exhales sharply. “You’ll stay. For now.”
Relief washes over me.
“But understand this,” he continues, his voice colder. “Whether you’re telling the truth or not, you’re more useful to me where I can see you.”
