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“The moment you ran my prints, he would’ve been alerted. He’s either already here or on his way. The moment he sees me, he’ll kill me.”
“Over my dead body.”
That was something she didn’t want to happen either.
He kissed her again, deeper this time. Telling her with every twist of his lips how much he cared about her.
A throat clearing had Griffin pulling away and looking over his shoulder.
“Can I join the conversation? Maybe we all have a seat at the table?” Juliet chuckled, pointing to said table.
Griffin turned to her again. “You made me a promise. You almost just broke it. Don’t do it again.”
Then he stood up and held out his hand.
With trembling fingers, she took it.
Griffin wantedto swing her into his lap but settled for holding hands as they took a seat at the table. He even moved his chair as close to hers as he could get it. Not because he was afraid she’d make another run for it—he’d chase her again. But because he needed to feel her near, to touch her, to make her understand he wasn’t going anywhere. No matter what she said, what else he might find out, he would stand proudly by her side.
Was he shocked by the news? Not really. He had an inkling she’d been using a fake name. It was nice to confirm it.
Was he surprised by the missing person’s report? Yeah. That one hit him in the gut. He would have to handle that soon. The last thing he wanted was to lose his badge.
“Okay. Let’s all take a deep breath. I can get us drinks.” Juliet stood up from her chair.
Eve motioned her back down. “I’m not thirsty.”
Juliet’s butt hit the chair in slow increments as if trying to give Eve as much time as possible before she’d have to tell them her whole story.
They waited. She said nothing.
“Carrington,” Juliet started. “The name sounds familiar. A hotel chain or something.”
Eve’s face flushed red, her eyes darting to the table. Answer enough Juliet was on the right track. He wasn’t just sitting next to a woman he’d fallen in love with. He was sitting next to a very rich woman.
“Yes, up and down the Florida coast.”
Juliet’s fingers fiddled with the end of the folder. “I might’ve googled a bit. I couldn’t help myself. You changed your hair to blonde, but I recognized you in some of the pictures. There were even a few articles about you going missing.”
Eve met her gaze. Griffin squeezed her hand to let her know he was there. To take her time. He wasn’t going anywhere.
“Your parents died in a plane crash five years ago. I’m sorry.”
Griffin was as well, but he wasn’t as brave as Juliet to voice anything yet. Eve was still sitting in the chair and not making a run for it. It seemed like every time he tried to get her to speak, she wanted to run. Better to let his sister take the lead.
“Don’t be. I wasn’t very close with them.” Eve shrugged. “They weren’t the most affectionate parents.”
At the confession, Griffin moved her hand sitting on the armrests of the chairs connected between them to his lap—the only comfort he could offer at the moment. She didn’t pull away, so he took it as a good sign.
“But they were still your parents,” Juliet insisted.
“They were two people who provided for me, clothed me, made sure I had a good education. They didn’t say they loved me. They didn’t say they were proud of me. Was I sad they died? Yes, because I would never wish death on anyone.” Eve’s voice lowered to a near whisper. “But I was terrified when I found out. Because that’s when the nightmare started.”
“You have a brother.”
Eve nodded.
“Your brother did nothing to stop this man? Who is he?”
