An FBI agent.A man who thinks I’m a killer.And…
Her ex.
No time to explain all of that, though, because Gage had closed in too quickly.
“Lily.”Gage stopped about two feet away from her.Wrinkled suit.Finger-combed hair.She recognized the signs of someone who had been traveling all night.“I hear you’ve had quite the exciting twelve hours.”His gaze raked her.
She inclined her head toward him.“Being abducted doesn’t count as exciting.It counts as terrifying.”
“Wereyou terrified?”He flashed his ID and waved away the local authorities.“FBI.I’ll be talking to the vic.Give us some time.”
She was aware of Atlas shifting his body closer to her.Atlas lifted his hand, and Desmond immediately began walking back their way.
The limo driver remained near the vehicle.
“Weird to think of you as terrified.”A slight, considering pause.“Because I wasn’t sure anything could scare you.”Gage smiled at her.That perfect, pearly white grin.Then he reached out and put his arms around her.He hugged her, the embrace hard, and Lily stood statue-still in his arms.
“Excuse me.”Atlas’s arctic voice.“I’m not exactly an expert in these situations, but is embracing a vic the way to go?Especially when she damn well does notwantthe embrace?”
Gage let her go.
Lily immediately backed up.No, not backed up.She edged toward Atlas.Why did I do that?
“Lily.”Atlas wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and he pulled her against his body.“Are you going to introduce me?”
She hadn’t stiffened when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.Because honestly, his touch reassured her.Odd because no one’s touch had ever reassured her in this world.Truth be told, she didn’t really like physical touch.She certainly had not liked the hug that Gage had just given to her.They werenotat a hugging stage.
Physical touch was not exactly her love language.She was more an acts-of-service woman.
He found the diary and smuggled it out before the cops could see it, no questions asked.
If that didn’t count as an act of service, she wasn’t sure what did.
“This is FBI Special Agent Gage Emerick.”She settled a bit more comfortably against Atlas, her body softening as growing exhaustion pulled at her.“I’m sure he knows who you are…” That had to be the whole reason Gage had made an appearance.He came out for the big guns.“But, just so I do this bit right, Gage, meet Atlas Bennett.”
Gage extended his hand toward Atlas.
A brief hesitation, then Atlas reached out to take the offered hand.“How do you know Lily?”Atlas asked the Fed.
“We dated—damn, that is quite the grip you’ve got there.”
Atlas released him.“Lily is with me.”
Gage stretched out his fingers.“With you?What the hell does that mean?”
“It means she’s moving in with me.The events tonight have sped up our process a bit, but, from here on out, Lily…Is.With.Me.”
He’d just gotten way territorial.And she had no idea why.So what if she’d dated the Fed?Why did that matter?
Gage’s brows shot up as he assessed her again.“So you’re dating billionaires now, Lily?That’s new.”
She wasn’t exactly dating Atlas.She could feel the edge of the diary pressing against her.Hehadgotten it for her.Truly, she wanted to kiss the man.
“Did I just see you exiting the house, Atlas?”Gage asked.“Thought it was a crime scene.”
“It’smyhouse.”Arrogant.Commanding.What she was starting to think of as typical Atlas.“So I went in to survey the damage.As you can see, I didn’t bring anything out with me.Not like I was tampering with evidence.”
Gage’s watchful stare drifted from Atlas back to her.“You been inside, Lily?You see if anything was taken?”
