“Fine.”
Eve nodded toward the kitchen. “Come on, I’m hungry.”
“Have you had lunch?” Marcel asked, as soon as they entered. He had a plate out and ready, and a variety of sandwich fixings and cold leftovers on the counter.
Noah leaned against the wall, posture rigid and gaze averted.
“Nothing since breakfast,” Eve said brightly, taking a seat at the kitchen table as though she was oblivious to the tension Noah exuded. “You’re a star, Marcel. Thank you so much.”
“I’m fine, thank you.” Cally knew she should be hungry, but she’d lost her appetite.
“Did you have a good weekend?” Marcel asked, as he prepped food for Eve. The question was delivered with his usual polite deference, but Cally heard the pointed tone he managed to convey.
“Yeah, it was fine.”Found a secret order. Got bribed, threatened, and blackmailed.
Noah made a noise in his throat, then walked out, his shoulders stiff.
“A drink, madam?” Marcel pulled her attention back to him.
“I’ll just get a water.”
“Please sit down, madam. I can manage.” It wasn’t really a request.
Cally sat warily, unable to dismiss the feeling of being summoned to the principal’s office. From across the table, Eve gave her a reassuring smile.
Marcel carried over a tray with two plates and three drinks with ice and lemon, serving them both as if Cally had agreed to eat. He took the last glass and sat at the end, giving Cally the weight of his steady gaze.
“Go on then,” she said. “Say what you must.”
“I had no intention of saying anything, madam,” Marcel demurred. “It’s not my place to remind you of what you already know.”
Cally winced. “I didn’t mean to piss Noah off. We... did what we had to do.”
“Of course you did.” He inclined his head as if there were no question.
He said nothing else, and it was a moment before Cally realized his response could’ve been to either part of what she’d said, or both parts. She narrowed her eyes at him.
The kitchen door burst open, and Zoey stormed in. “Where the fuck did you go?”
“Hi to you too.”
Zoey leaned on the end of the table, eyes glaring. “Do you evenunderstandwhat you did to Noah?”
Cally picked up her glass of water and deliberately leaned back in her chair, her irritation rising. “I’m not oblivious.”
“You sure the hell act like you are. You know what Antoine’s last words were to him, and you know what a compulsion does to us.” She studied Cally’s face, half angry, half incredulous. “Don’t you care?”
Damn it.“I’m sorry, okay? There wasn’t much choice. But I don’t need a bodyguard. I can keep myself safe, I’ve been doing it for years.”
Zoey straightened abruptly, a fist thumping into the table in exasperation. “This is different, and you know it is. It’s not just about you. You’re the only one who can keep Antoine alive.”
As if I don’t know.
Wait… how did she…?
“Noah told you,” Cally said flatly.
“Yeah, he told me. We’re all in this together.” She shot a sharp look. “Right?”
