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Gabe’s eyes flashed. “You know that’s not possible. It’s also ridiculous.”
“It’s not impossible, and it’s not ridiculous. I have to work. You have to stay safe. If I’m at my office, and you’re away from me, at work and home with your security, maybe…”
“Maybe what? Maybe Jiàn Innovations will forget about me?”
“I don’t know.” I could feel the blood drain from my face, and I swallowed hard. The idea that I’d put Gabe in mortal danger crushed me. “I just know that I couldn’t live with myself if something ever happened to you. Do you understand that?”
“Of course I do. I feel the same way about you.” He raked a hand through his hair. “But for the record, I can take care of myself. I like to fight. I’m actually quite good at it. And I have a loyal security team that will do whatever it takes to protect me and what’s mine.”
“I know all that, but you can’t bully your way past a bullet.”
Anger rolled off him in waves. “Jesus Lauren. Stop—your genius is showing.”
I’d known he wouldn’t be thrilled with this idea, but I had to make him understand. “Gabe.” I took his hands, pleading. “I love you. I don’t want to be away from you, but this isn’t forever. It’s just for right now.”
“Explain to me how us being apart solves anything.” He sounded completely unconvinced.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm down so I could explain my position to him clearly. “Clive told me that they want me alive—at least until they have what they want from me. If you’re near me when—if—they come, you’ll fight for me. They’ll hurt you. If you lay low and stay away, you’re not an obstacle. I’m the one they want.”
“And I need to be the one to protect you,” he said hotly.
“You can’t protect me if you’re dead. I’m keeping security with me twenty-four- seven. Let Timmy and the others do their jobs, and you and I can both do ours: run our companies and stay alive long enough to get through all this.” I hoped my logic would work on him.
There was a flicker of recognition in his eyes, but his expression remained stubborn. “I told you—I don’t like it.”
“I think this is the best way to deal with this situation right now.”
“What if disagree? What if I don’t want to wait?” he asked with fire in his eyes.
His words cut me. “That’s your choice. I can’t ask you to wait for me.” As soon as said it, I cringed. Of course I wanted him to wait for me.
He squeezed my hands, and I could tell he was struggling to calm down. “I know you have to go back to work. And I understand that you want me to be safe. But I don’t agree with this course of action and I don’t like it. At all. I don’t want to be separated from you.”
Misery engulfed me. “I don’t want to be separated from you, either.”
“Then babe…why are we doing this?”
“Because I love you. I love you so much, I don’t want you to get killed just because you’re my boyfriend.”
“I don’t think you’re being rational right now.” His voice had a dangerous, angry edge.
“And I don’t think you’re really listening to me.”
We stared at each other, at an impasse.
“I have to get back to work,” I said finally. “I love you.”
Gabe turned away, dismissing me. “Sometimes you have a funny way of showing it, babe.”
Chapter 23
I met with Eddie, my security manager, as soon as I got back to Paragon. “I’m going to be staying here. We need added security. I believe I’m still in danger. It may be worse than before.”
Timmy knocked on the door and came in. “Ms. Taylor.” He nodded at me and settled on the couch. “What’s going on?”
“I’m going to be staying here around-the-clock. The patch is launching sooner than we expected.”
“And Mr. Betts?” he asked.
