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No! That was my last hope. How could Vander find me now? I hadn’t even told him when I was coming home.
I should’ve stopped going out after the shooting. I should’ve stayed with him. But I’d needed my space. My fucking freedom.
It seemed overrated at the moment.
My eyelids felt heavy. I tried to keep them open, but it was useless, like everything else I’d done. They fell. The last thing I saw was my mother-in-law smiling as she handed my bodyguard money.
People who were supposed to love and protect me. Instead, they’d betrayed me.
I’ll protect you.
I promised my baby as darkness slipped into my vision. But it was a lie. I couldn’t even protect myself. And I never wanted to lie to my baby.
Daddy will protect you.
As darkness descended, I wondered if that was a lie, too.
45
Vander
The knife twirled through my fingers with ease. It was showy. A stupid trick to make people nervous, but the repetitive motion was calming. And I needed the calm.
I knew something that would work better. My wife. Burying myself inside her. Running my hands along her thick thighs. Inhaling her rose scent.
We didn’t even need to touch; I just wanted her here. In the penthouse. The room. I wanted my eyes on her. Only then did I truly relax. Believe she was safe.
But I was her husband, not her captive, so when the urge came to pick up my phone and call her, I pushed it down. Just like I’d done a hundred times in the last several hours, she’d been gone.
The knife stilled, and my fingers twitched on the computer mouse. I didn’t have to call her. I could pull up her tracker. Make sure she was safe.
It would only take a second. And I needed the break. I was sick of staring at these numbers. That’s why I avoided being in charge. Too much paperwork, not enough blood.
Nathan and Cole did a lot, but there were still things only I could approve. Certain items that had to be brought to my attention. I wanted to get it all done before Grace came home.
My fingers twitched again, but my phone rang, interrupting my stalker tendencies. My stomach dipped, the excitement dropping out when I saw it was Angelo’s name and not Grace’s.
We fucking lived together. Slept in the same bed, yet her name on the screen still gave me a rush. I still felt a jolt of happiness when hearing her voice.
“If you’re calling for a babysitter, you’ve got the wrong number.” I leaned back in my chair as I answered.
“I thought you might want the practice.” Angelo’s raspy tone came over the line. “Your pretty little wife was over here talking about how she can’t wait to have a baby.”
“Look at my wife again, and I’ll ruin what’s left of your face.” His chuckle told me he believed I was joking. I wasn’t.
Not that I worried about him. He was so in love with his wife; it was disgusting. Almost as obsessed as I was with mine.
“Any particular reason you’re feeling violent?” I didn’t need to see his expression to hear the suggestion in his words. “Did I interrupt something?”
“What are you talking about?” I grumbled as I stared at the midday sun. I’d have to shut the blinds in a minute, or it would start blasting me through the glass. Grace was right; these windows sucked.
“I just wanted to confirm you didn’t need me this weekend so I could spend it with Isla. But I don’t want to interfere with your baby-making time. That might piss you off enough to change your answer.”
My chair squeaked as I sat up again. My spine tingled with awareness. “Grace isn’t home.”
“Really?” Angelo’s voice rose at the end in surprise. “She left like an hour ago.”
My chest tightened like when I’d gotten the call she was in the hospital. A deep, ingrained fear response flooded my veins. But this wasn’t the same. She was safe. She was with Mike. I didn’t need to worry.
