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Our roles reverse, and I ask him the question he’d normally ask, “Where were you?”
His lips quirk to the side, acknowledging I’ve taken his place. “Nowhere in particular.”
I dip my chin, pinning him with a don’t bullshit me look.
“You won’t let this go.” His voice is husky. He seems…tired. No. Marcus is never tired. He’s preoccupied. Has to be.
“Never.”
He drags his chair closer to me, his hand cupping my cheek. “There’s nothing I can hide from you anymore, is there?”
My skin tingles. My heart beats faster at the feel of his possessive palm. I instantly feel safer. It’s these simple gestures that eviscerate the bad thoughts in my head. He holds power over them.
Only him.
“Nope.” I lean into his touch. “Tell me.”
“I tried calling Dr. Hatchett while you’ve been sleeping.” He sucks in a deep breath. “I couldn’t get a hold of her.”
Shit.
“Was it today?”
“I’ve been calling her for the last two days.” His frustration shows as he rakes his hand through his hair and slumps back into his chair. “First, she didn’t pick up. I tried again this morning, and it was turned off. Her secretary said she’d texted her, explaining she had to go away due to a family emergency.”
“You think she’s lying?” A foreboding feeling clings to my pores. I don’t want to hear the answer. I have to.
“Dr. Hatchett doesn’t have a family,” he growls, leaning forward.
Marcus never moves this much unless he’s fucking me. This too, freaks me the fuck out. His elbows are on his knees, fingers steepled as he lets the information sink in.
My pulse thrums inside my head, loud and ominous. “Do you think Ry got to her?”
“I did. I do. What I still don’t get is how.” Determination slips into his features, his mouth pressing into a tight line. “Rylan’s home. Milo dropped by at dawn. He sat by her side and babbled on and on about the weather for ten minutes straight before he went to grab something from the fridge. She got up right after and they ate in the kitchen. Didn’t exhibit any of the signs predicting her violent outbursts. It could be a code, the weather nonsense. I couldn’t tell.”
“But she’s still looking for us.”
“Yes. I have no idea what she’s searching on her laptop, though. What leads she had.” His eyes pinch shut, and he rubs his temples. “Maybe she doesn’t have a single fucking lead. Other than kidnapping my therapist. I… Fuck. I have to get over there.”
No. No, no, no, I shout inside my head. He can’t leave me. Can’t put himself in harm’s way for no one.
My mouth doesn’t cooperate. My inner screams are followed by a shot of panic coursing through my blood. Alarm bells are ringing loudly in my ears.
“Please, Leigh.” As if Marcus hears them, his head whips up. “I can’t have another person killed. Because of me.”
“What about me? If you go over there, I’ll be the one hurting, Marcus.”
Tears prickle in my eyes, and I blink them away. I hate that he opened the dam to my tears. Hate how easy it is to cry instead of sitting up straight and demanding he stay.
“I’ll die if something happens to you.” I cling to his shirt. “I finally have you, and I can’t afford to lose you. I won’t.”
“I’ll be fine, Leighton. That’s a promise.” He grabs both my hands, squeezes them, and rubs his thumbs over my pulse points. “Rylan won’t kill me. She’ll kill Milo before she’ll hurt me. I’m safe. Dr. Hatchett, on the other hand, might be in danger. Do you understand?”
“I hate…” Milo, Dr. Hatchett. Rylan. All of them. Even Marcus for making me love him so much that I don’t care if someone dies in his place. “This situation. This isn’t fair. Please don’t go. Please.”
“Leigh, I have to.”
I could let more tears fall. Could turn on the waterworks and guilt him into staying. Here. Safe. With me.
