Page 180 of Theirs to Tempt: The Marriage Claim

That bothers me more than it should.

I want to hear her.

I want to know whether the laugh is real or something she assembled because Elena is watching her too closely. I want to see her face without compression and distance. I want to know whether she slept last night, whether she ate today, whether she still wakes, reaching across the bed before remembering neither of us is there.

Most of all, I want to go to her.

The thought is so immediate that I’m on my feet before I recognize what I’m doing.

My jacket is hanging over the back of the chair, and my ride is a simple text away.

I could bring dinner, make sure she’s okay, let her yell at me if she needs to. Sit on the other side of the room if that makes her feel safer.

“Going somewhere?”

Lucian’s voice comes from the doorway.

Goddamn it. What the hell am I thinking?

He follows my gaze to the screen, and for several seconds, neither of us says anything.

Pain lances his eyes before he manages to hide it. “Is she all right?”

“How the hell am I supposed to know?”

Lucian looks back at the screen.

A car pulls to the curb. Sophie hugs Elena, opens the rear door, and slides inside.

I automatically catalogue the vehicle details, including the license plate number.

His expression goes cold. “Where’s Derek?”

“Not assigned.”

“I fucking hate this.” A tic throbs in his temple. “I want our man with her.”

“So do I.”

“I want to know where she’s going.”

Again, I have to agree.

The reality is, a single call would put Derek two cars behind her.

She’d never know.

But that was the old logic.

I turn off the feed.

No harm done if she never knew.

“You were going to her.”

It’s not a question.

“Why didn’t you?”