Page 80 of To Catch a Sub

And he would never have known.

Never realized she was in danger and needed help. Never known she was cold in the ground somewhere instead of dashing across rooftops with a smile on her lips.

“What happened?” he snapped.

Colette smiled, and it was fucking infuriating.

Good. It was much safer to be angry rather than gripped by a cold panicky fear.

She took one more deep breath, exhaling the air slowly. As she did her demeanor melted and shifted until she was totally calm and poised.

He wanted to shake her. To put her in peril just to see if it was even fucking possible for her to admit when something was wrong.

“What happened when? There’re quite a few things that have happened that I didn’t, and won’t, tell you about.” Her smile widened. “Be specific.”

“That fucking massive cut on your side is recent. Which means it probably has something to do with this game you’re playing.”

“And if it does?”

“If it relates to this case, to either case, then it impacts your safety.”

“Maybe I scraped myself.”

“I know a fucking knife cut when I see it.”

“And my being injured by a knife impacts my current safety?”

“It fucking does. Because it means you were in a fight. A fucking knife fight, Colette.” Landon ran both hands through his hair. “You were up close and personal with someone who was trying to kill you.”

“It wasn’t…” Colette swallowed, her smile faltering.

“Did you kill them? Are you trying to escape a murder charge?”

“No, I didn’t murder him.” She closed her eyes. “I would have, if I could. Then I’d be safe.”

He had half a second to process that statement before her face crumpled. That calm poise had been a paper-mache front that crumpled under the strain of whatever it was she’d been though.

Landon froze. She looked frightened and vulnerable. Totally unguarded.

A second ago he’d wanted her scared, but now that she was, he would do anything to alleviate that fear for her. Anything to keep her safe.

“Colette.” He took a step towards her, oddly unsure.

She looked at him with eyes luminous with tears. He expected her to turn away. Maybe ask him to give her a minute, the way she had last night.

Instead she shook her head, hair dancing against her cheeks.

“Colette.” He wasn’t sure what else to say.

She shook her head one more time, looking up.

The impact of her gaze hit him like a freight train. She was asking him for something with that look, but he didn’t know what. Couldn’t process the raw, seething emotion he saw in her eyes.

She took a tentative step towards him, and he mirrored the move.

With a sad sound that was almost a sob, she threw herself against his chest.

Fucking hell.