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“I should’ve told you before I changed anything that affected you directly.”

Some of the tension leaves her shoulders, although she keeps watching me. “Yes.”

“I would’ve made the same decision about building security.”

“I know.”

“But the escort and having people track where you were going should’ve been a conversation.”

“It should’ve.”

I rest one hand against the conference table, forcing myself to separate what the footage tells me from everything fear has added to it since yesterday. “I saw Spencer waiting for you and started thinking about every way he could’ve learned your routine. Then I started thinking about everything I hadn’t checked yet.”

Emma’s expression softens, although she doesn’t interrupt.

“I’ve spent most of my career looking for the thing that could go wrong before it happens. After Celeste died, that became harder to shut off.”

Her eyes stay on mine.

I rarely let myself follow that thought far enough to put words around it, but yesterday dragged it back into the open before I could stop it.

“After I buried her, I went through every decision I’d made before she died and looked for the one that would’ve changed the outcome. Every conversation, every hour I wasn’t there, every thing I might’ve noticed sooner.” I look toward Spencer’s image again. “Yesterday, when I saw him outside with you, all I could think about was getting there before something happened that I couldn’t undo.”

Emma comes around the end of the table and stops beside me. “This stopped being another security problem.”

“It stopped being one the second I saw you standing in front of him.”

Her fingers slide around mine. “I don’t think Spencer came there to hurt me.”

“Neither do I.”

She watches my face carefully.

“I think he came there because he wanted control of the situation and knew putting cameras around you would make it harder for you to walk away without becoming the story.” I tighten my fingers around hers. “That doesn’t mean I’m willing to ignore that he knew where and when to find you.”

“I don’t want you to ignore it.”

“I won’t.”

“I also won’t let him decide how I live because I’m afraid he might be watching.”

“I don’t want that either.”

She raises her eyebrows slightly. “Then we need to make sure you aren’t deciding it for me.”

I breathe out and nod. “Building security stays tighter while we check the footage. That’s a company issue, and I would’ve done the same thing if anyone was being repeatedly contacted by an ex who showed up outside headquarters.”

“Okay.”

“Anything involving you personally is your decision. If you want somebody walking you to the garage, they’ll do it. If you want a car, I’ll arrange one. If you want to leave this building alone, security won’t stop you.”

Emma studies me for several seconds, making sure I’m giving her something more solid than reassurance. “And you’ll tell me if you find anything.”

“Immediately.”

“Even if you think it’ll scare me.”

“Especially then.”