Page 194 of John + Siena: The Complete Duet

Nothing else mattered.

Unfortunately, the facility had goddamn policies about public displays of affection, and that forced John to pull away from the kiss far sooner than he wanted to. Siena only grinned and kissed the pad of his thumb when he stroked her bottom lip.

“Damn, I missed you,” he said.

Through thick, lowered lashes, she watched him. “Did you?”

“Every day.”

“Every single day?”

John smirked. “First thing on my mind in the morning.”

“What about at night?”

“Last thing I think about before I go to sleep, bella.”

Siena’s love colored her happiness. John knew his wasn’t always as easy to see because he made a great effort to keep those vulnerable parts of himself well hidden from the world. It had become such a habit that he worried now whether or not the people who deserved to see his love could actually see it.

People like Siena.

She had her ways of reminding him everything was just fine. Her palm came up to cup the side of his face, and her thumb stroked his cheekbone.

“I missed you, too.”

“Walk with me,” he demanded.

Siena nodded, and tucked in close to his side as they moved off the main walkway, and headed onto the cobblestone path that led all over the facility’s private, protected grounds. John took a quick look over his shoulder, and found Andino was still standing side by side with Haven. His cousin hugged the woman in close, and kissed the top of her head when she laughed about something.

Yeah, John most definitely knew that look his cousin sported.

Siena’s quiet little hum brought John’s attention right back to her. Glittering eyes looked him over, and she reached up to stroke his face once more with her fingertips. “I wish I had more time today.”

John tried not to frown, and failed. “Andino didn’t say anything about you leaving.”

“I only have a couple of hours before I have to be back. Yoga ends at two, so.”

“Yeah, still doing that, huh?”

Siena let out a hard breath, and looked away from him when she spoke again. “It’s the only way I can get out of my brothers’ sights for more than five minutes. Or hell, one of the enforcers they’re always sticking me with.”

He didn’t like the sound of that.

Not at all.

“So what, they haven’t figured out that you sneak away when you’re supposed to be at yoga, yet?” he asked.

“No.” Siena shrugged. “But I’ve only done it when I need to do something, or meet someone.”

“Meet someone?”

“Andino, mostly. Sometimes it’s someone else.”

“Meet them for what?” he pressed.

“Not important.”

John tugged on his girl’s hand, and the action made her look at him. “It is important, amore. Why are you meeting people behind your brothers’ backs, and what’s happening that people aren’t telling me about?”