Page 56 of Jonas

“I didn’t find any money,” Kira protested.

“Crypto.”

“What the fuck happened to good old-fashion paper money?” Zane sniped.

“I know it’ll be painful but follow me into the new world of digital currency,” Kira jibed.

Zane’s lips quirked.

I’d be a liar if I denied the man oozed sexuality when he smiled.

“Are you calling the White House, or am I?” Layla entered the conversation for the first time.

My mouth might’ve dropped open at the casual way she spoke about calling the President of the United States’ office.

“I’ll call. You go do whatever it is that pregnant women do to get rid of their morning sickness.”

Layla rolled her eyes.

“Your wife birthed two children.”

I felt like Layla’s reminder was unnecessary seeing as Zane had a hand in making those children.

“And?”

“Never mind.” Layla waved a hand in front of her. “I can’t keep up with you right now.”

For some reason, her comment changed everything about Zane Lewis. The teasing demeanor vanished, the slight tilt of his lips turned into a flat line. The spark in his eyes dimmed to concern.

“You’re going home,” he declared.

“Zane—”

“No lip, Layla. You need to be home, in your bed, not in a cabin with a window shaker that barely blows cool air. You need good food in your belly and you need rest.”

Layla glared at Zane.

To my surprise, Kevin didn’t jump on Zane’s declaration and scoop his woman up the way he looked like he wanted to do. He waited for his wife to make her own decision.

When she didn’t, Zane went on, “Nothing in this world is more important than you and that baby. Not one thing, Layla. I say this with respect; I hope like fuck the POTUS and the VP don’t get blown up out of the sky. The Speaker is mostly a dick but I don’t want to see him dead, either. But Layla, you and that baby come first. Right now your only concern is growing that human in your belly. Let your husband take care of you and the rest of us will handle the Chinese.”

I felt wet hit my eyes.

I blinked away the tears before they could fall but I couldn’t stop my hand from reaching out under the table and latching onto Jonas’s thigh. His hand immediately covered mine and gave it a squeeze.

Maybe my reaction was way out of line for multiple reasons. The first being I didn’t know Layla, but I was still over-the-moon happy she had the love and support from people who obviously cared deeply for her. Beyond that, any reservations I had about Zane disappeared.

Poof. Gone. Vanished.

What I wouldn’t give to have someone care about me more than saving the free world from a terrorist attack.

Weird but true.

I was still staring at Zane when his gaze suddenly zoomed over to me. There was no use looking away, he’d caught me. But moments later when his blue eyes turned dark I wished I had taken the opportunity to divert my attention. He saw too much. I didn’t know how he knew or what exactly he knew, but he knew something. I felt the air shift, a sizzle of awareness that had my fingers digging into Jonas’s thigh. Zane must’ve sensed that, too, because his gaze shot to Jonas. There was no relief that his concentration was no longer zeroed in on me, it was too late.

Jonas’s body went momentarily stiff before he blew out a breath and relaxed.

Whatever silent communication the two men were sharing eased Jonas but put me on edge.