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“Yeah, well you deserve it,” he said softly.
“Thebabydeserves it,” Gage nodded.
Juliana’s chin dipped in contemplation of everything that was going on. I could see the conflict behind her pretty eyes. She’d been so decisive, so sure of herself about everything. But maybe for the first time ever, I saw that she was torn.
“I have to go,” she said, turning to face the others. “For now, anyway.”
The others’ expressions changed quickly. Devyn looked forlorn. Gage outright flinched.
“But not forever,” Juliana added carefully.
Gage coughed, then cleared his throat. His own eyes were glassy.
“Promise?”
She paused, then nodded slowly. “I… I promise.”
We closed around her again, this time in a hug. Her body was so incredibly warm. Her face was far too beautiful to be crying.
“We’re here whenever you need us,” I said, although I couldn’t promise it would always be true. “This place is forever yours.”
Gage smiled, rubbing her belly. “Andhis.”
“Or hers,” Devyn grinned.
Juliana sighed, sniffed, then used one sleeve to wipe her eyes. She glanced up at us, and I nodded.
“Let this be your getaway from the chaos of that city, if nothing else,” I told her. “An oasis, for you and your baby.”
She managed a cute little laugh. “My oasis in the desert.”
I squeezed her tightly.
“Whenever you want it.”
Forty-Three
JULIANA
“Go on,” I boomed, loudly enough to be heard throughout the office. “Send him in.”
John James of Skyline walked down the long L-shaped hallway that led to my office, before finally ducking inside. I could see him the whole way, of course. After all, the walls were glass.
“Ms. Emerson,” he smiled, closing the door behind him. “Thanks so much for seeing—”
“Get to the point,” I cut him off quickly. “Thereisa point to you being here, right?”
Peripherally, my eyes scanned his Brioni suit up and down, along with his Gucci belt and Balenciaga sharkskin shoes. The man was tall and thin and immaculately groomed, from his styled, gelled hair to his cuticle-less fingers. Right now those fingers were tapping the back of the chair in front of him.
“Shall I sit?” he asked politely.
“No need,” I told him. “This isn’t going to take long.”
I knew what the man wanted, and I knew exactly why he was here. Aric had tried keeping me from even taking this meeting, but I’d never been one to shy away from a good confrontation.
Besides, after flying all the way home for nothing but bad news, I could really use a laugh.
“Very well then,” said John James. “Let’s start with the facts, shall we?”
