Page 225 of The Villain We Tempt

The fact that he doesn’t immediately reply doesn’t make me feel like I’ve won.

It’s more the eerie calm before a killer storm.

Finally, he responds.

Lochlan

You should apologize.

I literally laugh out loud.

Me

Yeah, that’s not happening. You fucking lunatic.

Lochlan

Not to me, little villain. To HIM. For involving him in this and getting him killed in the process.

My face pales as I quickly set the phone down and take a shaky breath.

“Everything okay, Ms. Galina?”

I gasp and turn to see that Miles has walked over to the far side of the bar where I’m standing with my phone.

I smile at him. “All good. Just charging this up.”

He nods slowly, his brow furrowing. “Look, I’m sure you’ve already got an overprotective father?—”

“Two of them, actually,” I say with a dramatic sigh.

He chuckles. “Even better. But since they’re not here, I feel compelled to ask you again if you’re okay. Because you looked like you were about to smash that phone against the bar.”

My shoulders slump a little. “It’s…”

“A guy?”

I smile wryly. “Unfortunately.”

He nods slowly. “Thought so. Everything all right?”

I sigh heavily and shrug. “Just…trust issues.”

“His, or yours?”

“Mine, I guess. But it’s his fault.”

He frowns. “This asshole cheat on you or something?”

I shake my head. “No. But…it’s complicated.”

I eye Miles for a moment.

“Okay, it’s partly trust issues, and partly my own insecurities,” I blurt out in a rush. “He’s pretty much my first relationship, if you can even call it that…”

Miles clears his throat. “And I’m guessing you’re not his?”

“Not even close,” I mutter darkly.