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“It’s not important where I was. I have something to tell you. Ryleigh might want to hear this too because it concerns her.”
Oliver looked around as if he expected us to be under surveillance.
“Upstairs. You have fifteen minutes and then I want you out.”
He grabbed my hand and Jonah followed us into the building. I was thankful the elevator was on the main floor, so we didn’t have to wait. Oliver gripped my hand tightly and I had to use my other to make him loosen it. He kept his eyes narrowed at Jonah the entire ride upstairs.
"Ryleigh, don't," Oliver's voice cut through the haze of my shock, his tone a mixture of concern and command.
Jonah's revelation churned in my stomach like acid. I gripped the kitchen counter so hard my knuckles turned white, fighting the urge to vomit. The world seemed to tilt on its axis, and I struggled to find my footing in this new, terrifying reality.
I turned to Oliver, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and anger. "How can you say that? Were you even listening?"
Oliver's eyes met mine, steady and calm in the face of my panic. "Yes, I was. Don't get upset."
The room spun around me, and I swallowed hard. "I need to lie down."
Jonah stepped forward, his face etched with urgency. "Oliver, I have more to tell you."
Oliver held up a hand, his focus entirely on me. "Let me get my wife settled."
With gentle hands, he guided me down the hallway to our bedroom. As I sank onto the edge of the bed, my fingers fumbled with the buckles of my sandals, shaking too hard to manage the simple task. Oliver knelt before me, his touch steady as he undid the straps.
"How can you be so calm?" I whispered, tears threatening to spill over.
Oliver's hands stilled on my feet, his voice low and determined. "Because I want to be strong for you. I want to get all the particulars before I put a plan into action."
Anger flared within me, hot and sudden. "Fuck the plan. We need to call the police."
As Oliver rose, he squeezed my knee reassuringly. "Relax, sweetheart. I won't let anything happen to you."
A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Really? Did you happen to forget our honeymoon? We had eight security agents, and they still couldn't protect us."
Oliver's jaw tightened. "With a mole among the ranks. It would've never happened without his help."
The memory of Oliver's near-death experience crashed over me like a wave. "And you almost died. I can't face that again, not after what we just went through."
Oliver's eyes softened, his voice tender. "You won't. We won't. I promised to take care of you, and I will. I'll give my life for yours."
The dam broke. Tears streamed down my face as Oliver stepped between my legs, pulling me into a tight embrace. I clung to his shirt, burying my face against his slacks. "Do you think I want to live without you?"
His hand stroked my hair soothingly. "No, but that won't happen. There will be no need to worry about it."
I pulled back, meeting his gaze with red-rimmed eyes. "I can't do this again. I just can't."
Oliver cupped my face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away my tears. "Sweetheart, let me hear what else Jonah has to say, and I'll be back. Try to relax."
With gentle movements, he helped me fully onto the bed, covering me with the ivory knit blanket we kept at the foot. As Oliver's footsteps faded down the hallway, I turned my gaze to the window, my mind racing with possibilities, each more terrifying than the last.
In the stillness of our bedroom, I was left alone with my fears, the weight of Jonah's revelation pressing down on me like a physical force. Whatever was coming, whatever storm we were about to face, I knew our lives would never be the same again.
Chapter 28
Oliver
I entered the kitchen to find Jonah casually peeling a banana from the ceramic fruit bowl on the counter. His nonchalance made my blood boil, and I had to resist the urge to slap the fruit from his hand.
"You're not here to relax," I growled, my voice tight with barely contained anger. "What else do you want to tell me?"
