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I crane my neck and hunch down to meet her gaze. “What are they saying?”
She shakes her head with her shoulders bunched up around her ears. “They don’t know. So far, there isn’t any sign of forced entry.”
“But you’re sure someone was here? How do you know?”
Siân nervously looks around, then pulls something from her back pocket. I peer at the note in her hand, my scribble scrabble staring back at me. She didn’t turn it in. What’s her game? I shake away my thoughts and rub her arms again before taking the scrap of paper from her.
“What’s this?” I ask while glaring between her and the page I now hold in my hand. “Sei Mio.” You’re mine. I recite the word on the page.
Siân frowns at me.
“Sorry. It’s Italian.”
Her brows furrow even harder.
“I studied abroad,” I lie to cover myself.
Siân blinks and shakes her head. “Right. They left this over next to a picture of Taj and me.”
“Okay?”
“The picture was faced down when Kyla found it.” She turns away.
“And that means...?” I shift to keep her eyes focused on me.
“We never touch those pictures. We’ve lived here for nearly three years, and this is the first time the picture was moved. There were even fingerprints.”
My spine tenses. “Can they pinpoint them?”
She shakes her head.
I yank her to me, nestling her head into the crook of my neck. “Can I use your bathroom?” I ask while leaning back only enough to read her expression.
Siân raises an arm to the staircase. “First door on your right.”
“Okay.” I swallow. “Look at me.”
She does.
“I’m here, and I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
She nods.
The thing is, I mean it. Her safety, even down to her happiness, all matters to me. I back away, refusing to allow Tony’s words to seep in. He’s right. I’m distracted. Tonight, we’re making a deal with a new connection, someone associated with Armon who promises to pick up the slack that ole boy left behind.
Instead, I’m hours away, working a long con to win over a woman who’s been presumed dead for nearly sixteen years. Pushing my reality to the back of my mind, I jog up the steps two at a time, glancing behind me to be sure no one is watching me. The coast is clear, so I walk to the part of the house where Siân’s room is.
With one more look behind me, I push past the threshold and tiptoe over to the closet. Using my phone for light, I search the pile on the floor for the shirt I blew my load in. When I locate it, I scoop it up and conceal it around the waistband of my gray slacks. I cross the floor and slip out into the hall, freezing when I run into Kyla.
Her brows pull together, and she fists the banister. “Can I help you?”
I run my palms over my pants. “I was using the bathroom.”
Kyla crosses one arm over her shoulder, then pivots to point at the door three feet to my left.
I give her a pinched grin, deciding not to argue with her. Kyla stares me down as I saunter around her and make my way back down to the living room. Siân is sitting on the sofa, her sad green eyes meeting mine the second I come into view.
“Any updates yet?” I ask and take the seat next to her while letting my hand settle on her back.
It’s subtle the way she reacts, so natural that I bet she doesn’t even notice. She’s comfortable with me. I noticed it the first time in the bar. She probably doesn’t even realize how relaxed she is around me. Or notice how perfect we are together.
Not for long, though. This game has been fun, but I don’t know how long I can go without claiming her.
“Nothing yet.” She shrugs, and I squeeze her shoulder.
“I’ll get you some water?” I stand and peer at Kyla, who is now standing at the bottom of the staircase, her gaze burning into me.
“What is he doing here?” I hear Kyla ask Siân.
Stepping into the kitchen, I open one set of cabinet doors before finding the cupboard on the other end. I can feel eyes on me, but I don’t turn around to see who it is. My guess is it’s the friend. It’s no surprise she’s suspicious of me when she’s the one with something to hide.
I remove two glasses and fill them with water from the fridge. An officer enters through the back, the screen door slamming shut. I glance at the cop, but she barely notices me. She walks ahead of me, and I follow her into the living room. The officer moves out of my way as I step around her and pass the drinks off to both Kyla and Siân. Kyla keeps her gaze locked on me, then she leans in to whisper into Siân’s ear. Except she’s horrible at it, and I hear her anyway.
