Page 85 of King of Pride

And, if she was being honest with herself, she wanted to see that look on his face again.

More often than she cared to admit.

She said nothing, simply taking the sandwich from his hand. He seemed reluctant to let it go, but eventually released it.

His hand, however, didn't move away.

Instead, he stepped closer. His other hand came up to the side of her face, his fingers sliding gently into her hair as he cradled the back of her head. The affectionate gesture caught her off guard, and she stood quietly beneath his touch as he brushed his fingers through her hair.

Then he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

Rose's heart gave a small, unexpected flutter.

Maverick picked up his coffee from the table and took a slow sip, still standing close enough that his familiar scent surrounded her.

She had grown used to it.

His scent was warm and distinctly his, and somehow, instead of overwhelming her, it made her feel strangely calm. The closer he came, the more comfortable she felt in his space.

Perhaps she had simply become accustomed to having him around her, to the way he quietly took control of little things, to the way his presence seemed to fill whatever space he occupied.

Whatever the reason, she didn't dislike it.

In fact, she liked it far more than she should.

So she simply stood there, letting him stay close, allowing herself to enjoy the quiet affection without questioning it.

When her phone started ringing on the table, Rose glanced down at the screen and frowned at the unfamiliar number. She picked it up and stepped away from Maverick, creating some distance between them. She caught the displeasure that appeared on his face at once, but he didn't say anything.

Rose turned away from him and brought the phone to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Am I speaking to Miss Rose Monroe?”

“Yes, this is Rose.”

“Ms. Rose, this is Officer Dennis with the NYPD. I’m calling from the 28th Precinct in Manhattan regarding Zoe Bishop.”

Rose’s brow furrowed.

“Ms. Bishop was taken into custody earlier this morning in connection with an investigation involving several vehicles belonging to Ivan Carrington. The vehicles were set on fire a few days ago.”

Rose’s entire body went rigid.

“The investigation has progressed, and we have evidence placing Ms. Bishop at the scene. She’s currently being held at the 28th Precinct while we process the arrest. We’re also investigating another individual who appears to have been involved.”

Rose's heartbeat immediately accelerated.

Her fingers tightened around the phone as the officer's words sank in.

She slowly lowered the phone from her ear.

“What the hell…” she whispered under her breath.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as panic took hold. Her mind raced through the implications of what she had just heard, and the alarm on her face was impossible to hide.

Without wasting another second, she turned around, grabbed her bag, and hurried toward the door.