His face darkened, but he controlled it, settling into reluctant calm.
"If it's business, I won't think anything of it."
I blinked. That wasn't like him.
"You're not jealous?"
"I am." He gave a tight smile. "But I don't want to control you like before. You have your life, your friends. You have the right to see whoever you want. I'll learn to deal with it."
His words moved me.
Six years ago, Silas would never have said that. He hadn't allowed me near any man but him. But now he'd changed so much.
"Thank you," I said softly. "For changing for me."
He didn't answer. Just leaned down and kissed my forehead.
"Come back early." His voice was low, warm. "Olei and I will wait for you for lunch."
I got up smiling, washed up quickly, then took a cab to the café Julian had suggested. I pushed through the door five minutes early. Thank God I'd set my alarm with time to spare.
Julian was already there, in the back corner. As I approached, I realized he looked terrible—dark circles under his eyes, nothing like the sharp lawyer I knew.
"Julian?" I sat across from him, frowning. "What happened? Did you not sleep?"
He looked up, eyes exhausted. He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. After a long silence, he spoke.
"Anthea." His voice was rough. "I need to ask you something."
"What?" His guarded expression confused me.
He hesitated, then lowered his voice. "Is there someone dangerous around you?"
"Why are you asking?" My mind went straight to Silas.
Julian took a deep breath, like he was steeling himself.
"Valentine's night, on my way home, two guys—looked Russian—jumped me." His voice shook. "They blocked my car, dragged me into an alley, beat the shit out of me. Then, some guy warned me to stay away from you. I think he was the one who ordered it. But my eyes were swollen shut, I'd lost my glasses—I couldn't see his face."
My hand gripped the table edge.
"That's not all." Julian's expression grew darker. "Since then, I've been followed. Sometimes a black car, sometimes guys in black masks. And they've been sending things to my house—dead rats, razor blades, other disgusting shit."
Fear and anger filled his blue eyes.
"I went to the police. Nothing. These guys are pros—no evidence, no case."
Ice filled my stomach.
Could it be Silas? He had motive and means. Six years ago, he'd punished a guard just for making me smile. And now, because I'd had dinner with Julian on Valentine's Day, he'd do this?
But I immediately rejected the thought. No. Impossible. Since we'd reconnected, Silas had been restrained, respectful. He wouldn't do something this juvenile and violent.
"Anthea?" Julian's voice pulled me back. "Do you know something?"
I shook my head. "Julian, did you piss someone off with a case?"
He gave a bitter laugh.
