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“Tell Jacob to drive safely, and Devlin will meet you in the garage when you get here.”

“Thank you, Hawk. Tell her . . .”

She didn’t have anything to say, and I could tell the anticipation was building for both of them.

I simply replied, “Her too, Hailey.”

Disconnecting the call, I looked at Stella and gently wiped the tears falling down her cheeks. “Let’s get you calmed down and cleaned up.” Smiling, I reminded her, “Your daughter will be here soon.”

After escorting her to the patio, I walked back inside and put a pod into the coffee machine to make her a cup. When it was finished, I opened the fridge and poured some creamer into the cup before turning to walk outside.

My phone dinged and I pulled it out to see a message from Skid.

Skid:There are a few things about Lucian that give me pause. We need to talk once the reunion is over.

Another message came through, and after reading it, I flipped a bird into the empty apartment, knowing he was watching.

Skid:Don’t do anything in the apartment. I don’t want to see your naked ass today.

If and when Stella and I shared ourselves with each other, there wouldn’t be any chance someone could see it. She’d experienced too much to contend with that. I wasn’t sure she would ever be able to be intimate with anyone after what she’d lived through.

If she did, I prayed it was with me.

Chapter 18

Stella

Colton sent me hisaddress after we hung up, and I saved the message in my phone. After getting back on the road, I followed the GPS prompts to the address I’d found online. When I pulled into the small town of Pierce Bluff, I didn’t know what to expect. I thought I’d find a fortress with armed guards watching over Devlin, but when the directions led me to a five-story building sitting in front of what appeared to be a beautiful lake, I was a little confused.

Surely, this couldn’t be the offices of Callahan Cyber Security, but a plaque on the front of the building confirmed that it was. I found a parking spot in the lot in front of the lake and parked as far away from his building as I could. It was close to midnight when Zeus let me know he needed to use the restroom, so reluctantly, I clipped on his leash and took him to do his business.

We got back in the Jeep, and for the next two hours, I read everything I could online about Devlin and his business. Armed with as much information as I could gather, I leaned over and kissed the top of Zeus’s head.

“Stay here, buddy. You’ll be okay until I get back.”

He tried to exit the vehicle with me, and the look he gave me when I closed the door on him was heartbreaking. All he wanted to do was stay by my side and protect me, but I couldn’t do what I needed to with him at my side. Using the darkness and shadows as cover, I traversed the small parking lot and made my way across the street.