Page 89 of King of Pride

“We’re still trying to find out.”

“I’ll be there soon.”

He ended the call and stood there for a moment, staring at the screen with a dark expression.

Then he shoved the phone back into his pocket and turned around.

Whatever anger had been directed at Blaire was now mixed with something far more serious.

He strode back toward Zoe and stopped in front of her.

“You’ll come crawling back to me when you realize you have no other choice,” he said coldly. “You’ll have to beg me to get you out of this, and when you do, we’ll see how confident you are then.”

Zoe gave him a bored look.

“In your fucking dreams, Carrington.”

Ivan’s jaw tightened.

He didn't waste another word on her. Instead, he turned toward Terrence and jerked his chin toward the door.

“Come on.”

Terrence gave Zoe and Blaire one last look before following him out, leaving the two women sitting together in the station.

***

The car came to a stop, and Rose stepped out as the driver opened her door. Maverick got out from the other side at the same time.

Rose had barely taken a few steps toward the entrance when Maverick caught up with her and took her hand in his. He glanced down at her, his fingers tightening around hers.

“Stay with me. Don’t run off.”

“I wasn’t going to run off. I was just going inside the station,” she replied, as though it were obvious.

Maverick lifted their joined hands slightly.

“If you want to go somewhere, grab my hand first.”

Rose looked at him, and some of the tension in her face eased when she realized he wasn't angry. There was no fury in his expression, no hint that he was about to lose his temper. He was as calm and controlled as ever.

She let him lead her toward the police station.

The moment they stepped inside, they were met by the busy atmosphere of the station. Before Rose could look around properly, a voice called out to them.

“Rose?”

Her eyes immediately shifted toward the sound.

Zoe was sitting on one of the chairs, with Blaire beside her.

The moment Zoe spotted Rose, her eyes widened.

Then her gaze shifted toward the man holding Rose's hand.

The color drained from her face.

She slowly sank back against the chair, staring at Rose as though she'd just committed the gravest betrayal imaginable.