Page 114 of Devious Truth

“You scared the hell out of me.” I blow out a breath.

He casually steps into my apartment, shutting the door behind himself. The soft click of the lock fires like a gunshot. Leaning back against the door, he crosses his arms. Tilting his head, just slightly, he watches me with the kind of calm that’s anything but. Chaos erupts in my mind.

“Going somewhere?” He nudges his chin in my direction, at the purse strapped over my shoulder, my jacket fisted in my hand.

“I—” My mind blanks.

Where was I going?

“You haven’t responded to me, or called, and I needed things.” I hang my jacket back on the coat hook and drop my purse on the small table by the door with my keys. “I needed groceries.”

There! My brain started again.

“It took a few days to deal with things,” he says, quietly, dangerously.

“Caroline? I was able to get the guy across the hall to at least tell me she was alive, but he hasn’t had anything else to tell me since.”

“She’s doing better, but she was badly hurt.” His brow wrinkles. “She’s decided to move back home with her older sister.”

“When?”

“This morning. I just came from the airport.”

“You didn’t come get me so I could talk to her?” Anger rises up again. “You can’t keep punishing me like this! You can’t keep people from me.”

“I wasn’t.” He pushes off the door. “It was her decision, Vee. She just wanted to go home, and she said she’d call you once she’s settled.”

Caroline left the small suburban town her family lives in because she’d been tired of the simplicity of it. The city was more exciting, had more opportunities. Right now, that simplicity will help her heal, I suppose.

“I’m not punishing you,” he adds.

There’s something in his tone, a heavy sadness that wrenches me. It hurts, looking at him. Hearing him hurts.

“Ivan—”

“I have a meeting out of town,” he cuts me off. “I’ll be gone for a few days. Vivek and his men will stay across the hall until I’m back.”

“What happens then? When you’re back?” I can feel him pulling away, and all I want to do is reach out and grab him. To hold him here before he slips any further away.

“They’ll leave the apartment, and you’ll be free.” He pauses, clears his throat. “Free to do what you want. If you need something, he’s your contact.”

Panic grips my heart, squeezing until it can barely beat. He’s giving up on me— on us.

“Ivan, I know what I did?—”

“You didn’t do anything, Vee. You’ve been clear all along, and I wasn’t listening.” His shoulders roll back.

“No, Ivan. You were?—”

“I’ll have groceries sent over this afternoon.” He cuts me off, not interested in my reasons, my true intentions.

I don’t want groceries! I want you!

There’s distance between us now. A wall. A thick, stone wall that I built with my secrets and my constant pushing him away.

“That would be good. Thank you.” Every word makes my soul scream, but I shut it off. “Kieran not returning might make Declan curious.”

“It won’t.” He slips his hands into the front pockets of his trousers. “We did some digging. Declan’s been ousted, he’s not the head of anything anymore. I’m not positive he’s even alive. Kieran’s been hiding out here. Him running into you was completely a coincidence.”

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