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“Elizabeth Mooney didn’t steal anything from EELS.Theystole her intellectual property. Your Honor, she never took the laptop on which she wrote the algorithm to work. She told her ex-boyfriend about it, and when he failed to impress his bosses with his faked Harvard education, he decided to steal from my client. This isn’t about a jealous woman. It’s about a weak little man trying to make a reputation for himself in all the wrong ways.”
“This is all very interesting, Counselor, but we will need proof,” Judge Cortez said.
Rylee gave a wolfish grin. “I was hoping you would say that, Your Honor. We have all the proof we need.” She aimed her smirk at the other lawyer taking her seat. “Exhibits Q through Y are right here.” She motioned to another stack of files on the table.
A lot more was said, but Elizabeth couldn’t focus on anything. Not when Canaan was so clearly upset. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but he was definitely not okay. She didn’t want to reach for his hand, even after Rylee exposed them as a couple.
She was scared he would pull away.
* * *
Canaan barely saidanother word until they were back at the compound. He barged into the house, and as soon as Elizabeth was down the hall, halfway to her bedroom, she heard him swear at his sister.
“What the hell was that, Rylee?” he hissed. “You lied about us.”
“Did I? Pfft,” she waved him off. “Isn’t Elizabeth your mate? Way I see it, youarein a relationship.”
“Elizabeth needs to make that decision for herself.”
“If I leave that up to you, you’ll let her walk out of your life. Is that what you want? A life away from the one person who gets you? I see the way you look at her, but most importantly, I see the way she looks at you. She’s hurting because of her ex, but come on. He’s no loss. She’s happy here with you.”
“You don’t get to make that call for her. That was unfair and uncalled for. We haven’t …” Elizabeth couldn’t see Canaan, but she could just imagine him running a hand through his hair.
Rylee snorted. “So what if I twisted the truth just a tad? You two looked guilty asfuckthis morning. Her scent was all over you. Tell me you haven’t slept with her,” she dared. Elizabeth’s face flushed.
Canaan growled. “That’s none of your business.”
“She lives with you. She games with you until all hours of the night. She’s your mate, and you know that you will be miserable without her. Youneedher.”
“It’s still not my call to make. Mind your own business. I won’t allow you to push her into something she doesn’t want. If she loved me, she …” He stopped short. “I care about her too much to rush her into a relationship after everything she’s been through. That was a terrible thing to do to her, Rylee.”
Elizabeth’s mouth was dry. Eavesdropping was bad. Terrible. This was a private conversation between two siblings. She was invading Canaan’s privacy and personal thoughts.
Yet, the sadness in his voice made her ache.
Canaan Wolverton felt something deep and instinctual for her, but he was ready to set that aside …forher. To give her the space and time she needed.
Elizabeth rubbed her cheeks, trying to compose herself. Shedidcare for Canaan.
No.
It was more than that.
She loved being with him.
Their time together was the happiest she’d been in her whole life. He was a good friend and a good man. Maybe, that could mean he would be something more.
Something that could last forever and stand the test of time.
After all, they had met when her life was coming apart, and they were fixing it together. Didn’t that mean they could do anything together?
“Just stay out of my personal life, okay? Let it be on her terms if she falls in love with me.”
“I still think you two are sleeping together. I didn’t lie today. You’re the one lying to yourself. She reeked of you this morning.”
“Reeked?” he growled.
“You know what I mean. If she slept with you, isn’t that a good thing? Mate her, already.”
