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“I wasn’t aware I needed your permission to come see Zahra.”

He looks at me, jaw so tight I can see a muscle jump. “Zahra. My office, when you’re done with your guest, please.”

Then he turns and walks back the way he came. Just… leaves. And his office door shuts. Hard.

I stare after him. Then I turn and stare at Simone.

“Um. What the hell was that?”

“That,” she says, glaring at Cil’s door, “is the most arrogant, condescending motherfucker in this entire city.” She flips her hand. “I hate him. Let’s go.”

Mm-hm. Sure… I file the whole crazy interaction away under things to be extremely nosy about later. After I’m done getting cussed out by my bestie…

* * *

Lunch is three hours. There’s a lot of food. And I tell her everything. Well… almost everything.

Simone doesn’t yell. I thought she’d yell. She just gets quieter and quieter, and when I’m done, she reaches across the table and takes my hand.

“Z. I love you. So I’m going to ask you one thing, and then I’ll shut up.” Her eyes are serious. “How do you know a man you met six weeks ago?”

It’s a fair question. And I don’t have some magic answer to it.

“I don’t,” I admit. “Not all of him. Not yet. I know he’s done terrible things. I’m sure he’ll do more. I’m not confused about who he is, Simone. I went in with my eyes wide open.” I squeeze her hand. “But I know he’s never lied to me, Mo. I know he listens to me like every word out of my mouth is gold. I know that when he holds me, I feel safer than I’ve ever felt in my life, and I know how crazy that sounds. But I also know I’d rather have this life with him than one without him.”

She looks at me for a long time.

“Well, damn,” she says finally, and wipes her eye. “Okay. Okay! But if he hurts you, I’m shooting him myself.”

* * *

That night, I’m lying in my nest with Tommy Brennan’s statement on my chest, and I can’t stop smiling.

I’ve got a name. I’ve got a dirty cop, a bought witness, and a straight line from both of them to the Callaghans. For the first time since I walked into that prison all those weeks ago, I can actually see it… the day Declan walks out. No chains. No glass. Just him.

I press a hand over his bite on my skin and close my eyes.

Hold on, baby. Almost there.

Thirteen

Declan

Day thirteen. I’ve been counting since the door shut behind her. Like a fucking teenager. Her scent’s been gone off my skin for a week. The undershirt I took from the bonded room, the one she wore for twenty minutes before I made her take it off, that’s gone too. I picked it up last night. Nothing left in it but me.

My wolf’s been at the walls three days straight. Not pacing. Working at them. Shoulder into my ribs, over and over.

Mate. Tomorrow. MATE.

I know, buddy.

Now.

Tomorrow.

NOW.

I do four hundred push-ups. Doesn’t do shit.