Page 115 of Reveal

The necklace. Is that why I came here today? Simply to get a closer look at it for my own purposes? Or was it because I wanted to see Lucy and in turn remind myself why Vaughn is fighting so damn hard?

As if I needed a reminder.

Maybe it was because she blew me off again today, and deep down, the man who never cares or panics when it comes to women kind of is.

She’s pulling away from me bit by bit.

I try to shake the thought from my mind but can’t. Scenes from my childhood replay in my head—the parts where my mom gets what she wants from a man and then ultimately decides she’s done with him.

The underlying reason I have always represented men before—because they don’t stand a goddamn chance once a woman turns cold or bored.

But relationships can work, can’t they? I thought that was what Vaughn had shown me. I thought that was what I was starting to believe. That if you fight hard enough, listen silently, and put in the effort, they could work.

Then why is Vaughn going radio silent all of a sudden?

Is she tired of me already? Has she played her side of the game—made me chase after her, fight for her, reeled me in, and now that she’s accomplished it, she’s done with me?

Is that what this is?

The thought eats at my mind. I can’t shake it. I should know better when I call Bella and have her cancel my afternoon meetings.

But I don’t acknowledge it until I pull into Vaughn’s driveway for the second time in one day.

My knock sounds heavy, but so is my goddamn heart. I’m almost desperate to prove to myself that she still cares. That this isn’t over.

It can’t be.

“Vaughn. It’s me.”

Silence.

Pound. Pound. Pound.

“Open up. Please. I’m worried about you.”

The thoughts that have been swirling around in my head spin out of control with a clarity that was previously clouded by my insecurities. She canceled with me after meeting a potential client. She won’t show me her face today.

Did her new client rough her up? Did he hurt her?

Pound. Pound. Pound.

“C’mon, Vaughn. Just show me you’re okay.”

Carter Preston. He’s back in town. That fucker better not have touched her.

Pound. Pound. Pound.

“I’m not going away until I get to see you.”

For some reason, I know she’s on the other side of the door.

I lower my voice and force myself to be calm. “I just want to know that you’re okay. I’ll leave once I do.” I rest my forehead against the door. “You can’t want people to care about you, then expect them to turn it off when it suits you.”

“I’m fine.” Her voice sounds anything but fine. My pulse leaps at the sound of it.

“Let me see you, please?” My hand fists on the door. “I’m having all these visions in my head that your client beat you up or worse, and it’s driving me crazy. I can’t get them out of my mind until I see you.”

“It’s okay. I’m fine.”