Page 21 of Hunted Innocence

I’ve never been nosy here at the office, although I’ve never really had to be. Most of the work they do comes across my desk in one way or another. And it’s pretty boring, unless I see a celebrity's name or something. It doesn’t happen all the time, but it does happen.

Pressing my ear to the closed door, I close my eyes as I try to listen in on what the hell they’re talking about.

Unfortunately, I can’t hear a damn thing, no matter how hard I strain and try. It shouldn’t surprise me that their doors aren’t thin enough to hear through, but I had hoped that somehow, I would be able to hear something—anything.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I straighten and turn around to head back to my desk, but stop when I see both Lucille and Colettestanding in front of me. Their arms are crossed just beneath their chests, their eyes focused on me.

“I know whatever it is, it’s about me,” I say, my only excuse for attempting to eavesdrop.

Lucille’s lips twitch into a smirk, and she shakes her head once. “I have no doubt it is,” she states, then gives me a smile before she continues. “Let’s go to lunch. Let them handle whatever they need to handle. We’ve missed you.”

Looking over my shoulder at the closed door, I debate staying or leaving. I don’t want to go anywhere, but I don’t want to disappoint any of them, either. Shifting my attention back to Lucille, I see the concern that immediately etches her features, but she schools it quickly.

“We’ll order in,” she chirps.

Colette reaches for my hand, wraps her fingers around mine, and gently tugs me behind her, heading straight for the break room. Once we’re inside, she guides me to a chair, and then Lucille’s hands grip my shoulders as she applies pressure, forcing me to sit down.

They each pull up their own chair to face me, and it’s at this moment that it becomes clear and evident that there is going to be an inquisition. I suck in a breath, holding it because I don’t want to talk about Landon anymore. I want to pretend the asshole doesn’t exist—never existed, in fact.

“Was it the best sex you’ve ever had?” Lucille begins.

I blink.

Unsure that I heard her correctly.

“I thought you guys were already together, especially living in that safe house for as long as you were,” Colette murmurs.

My eyes flick between them, and for a brief moment, I want to tell them everything, mainly because it was indeed the best I’ve ever had in my whole life. Being with Grayson feels rightwhen every other man who has ever touched me has felt nothing but wrong.

I don’t tell them any of that, though. It feels wrong to verbalize just how Grayson makes me feel. It feels like a violation of our intimacy. I don’t want to share that with anyone, not a single moment of us together.

I want to savor every second and selfishly keep them all for myself. I don’t want anyone to even imagine anything between us. That feels like it would be too invasive. Keeping our relationship private seems like the right choice here.

“She loves him. She’s not going to give us details. Just like you wouldn't talk about Theron,” Colette says.

Love.

Love him

I love him.

Holy shit—I love him.

Chapter Nine

GRAYSON

“What the fuck is he doing?”Theron asks.

“Looking for something.”

Silence passes between us as we continue to watch Landon Tate go through cabinet after cabinet, looking for something. What he’s in search of, we don’t know. When he starts walking toward the chest where I know Nadine’s money is hidden, my breath hitches.

“What?” Theron demands.

Clearing my throat, I shift in my chair. “Nadine has her cash stashed in there.”

He hisses but doesn’t say anything else. Our focus is on the trunk and only the trunk. Landon opens it and begins taking items out. He stands up and tilts his head to the side, looking at the bottom for a long moment. I am only able to breathe again when he starts putting everything back inside.

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