Page 89 of Don't Tell

She has just opened the door.

Her back is to me.

The man on the other side is in his 30s. He is in a charcoal suit with a thin tie. He is holding a bouquet of white flowers in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other, smiling.

Adrian Maddox.

The world stops for one second, then starts again somewhere else.

I have spent months thinking about this man. I have spent months arranging Marisol's surveillance around him, telling myself he was a problem I would handle when he gave me reason.

He is in my foyer.

He has flowers.

He has wine.

He is smiling at the woman who lives in my house, and he is wearing the small, careful expression of a man who has known for three weeks that this exact second was going to happen, and who has been driving toward it the whole time.

Suzanne is saying something — welcoming him and stepping back. Adrian is crossing the threshold. He is handing her the flowers. He is thanking her for the invitation. His eyes have found me.

His smile does not change.

His eyebrows go up in a small, performed surprise.

"Cade, well, what a coincidence." He lifts the wine half an inch in greeting. "I had no idea — Suzanne and I have, of course, met for some weeks. We have not — I had not realized her boyfriend was — "

He mimes a small apologetic bow that is also, somehow, a dare.

I don’t hear the rest of it.

"Get out of my house."

Suzanne turns. She looks at me, then at Adrian.

Her attention swings back to me. "Cade."

"Get out."

"Cade, calm — "

"Don't tell me to calm down."

I don’t raise my voice.

I don’t have to.

The room has gone quiet, and Adrian has not moved. Suzanne has the bouquet in one hand.

I look at Adrian.

"Get. Out."

Adrian doesn’t move fast. He keeps the smile and turns to Suzanne, who has not put the flowers down. He gives her the small apologetic look of someone who is being unjustly removed from an invite he had every right to attend.

"I’m terribly sorry to have caused any awkwardness. I will, of course, leave you both to your evening. I had no idea."

He hands her the wine, and she takes it.