“Is that…?” she breathed, swaying suddenly.
I rested a hand on either side of her waist from behind for support, dropping a kiss on those same curls. “Yes.”
She sucked in a harsh breath, the tremors rocketing through her body rivaling the adrenaline coursing through mine. “Are you?”
“I am.” I said it. Admitted it for the first time ever to another soul. But that wasn’t enough. I wanted it to be crystal-clear, the ultimate truth bared to the only person who mattered. “I’m Ever.”
She sagged in my hold, the rigidity beneath my grip melting. But she didn’t speak. It wasn’t until I circled around that I saw she was crying.
“Hey…” I cooed, swiping a tear with the pad of my thumb, her face hot to the touch. “It’s okay.”
But was it? More tears followed, an involuntary shudder rocking her shoulders, a whimper following. Whatever they were, they definitely weren’t happy tears. I was watching my heart break from the outside.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” I cradled her face in my hands. “Kee, talk to me.”
It wasn’t exactly the reaction I was expecting. Actually, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t tears.
She shook her head, sniffing slightly as a teardrop fell from the tip of her nose to her dress. “I’m fine. It’s just a lot all at once. I need some time to process it all.”
I kissed the tears from her lips, resting my forehead against hers. “Sure, do you want me to leave, or…”
She pushed away, walking on weak legs toward the door. “Just give me time. It’s too much right now.”
“Take all the time you need,” I urged, knowing I’d dropped a hell of a bomb on her. She had every right to be dazed and confused. “I’ll wait in here. Come talk when you’re ready.”
She lingered at the door for a moment, hesitating as if she wanted to say something more, but at the last second, she shut it behind herself .
* * *
I waited at least an hour before popping my head outside the door to listen, praying she wasn’t sobbing somewhere. I was relieved not to hear it but unnerved at the silence.
What if she was crying into a pillow all alone?
I battled between staying in the studio and looking for her, my need to comfort her outweighing the promise I’d made. When I told her to take time, I didn’t anticipate her crying for an hour straight. I couldn’t leave her any longer.
I walked to the living room, finding it empty, so I hurried to the bedroom. I was facing an uphill battle at making things right.
But while I’d lied about the overall picture of my life, I’d never lied about my feelings. About our friendship. Our bond. It was all real. I just had to make her see that.
I took a deep breath before opening the master bedroom door, relieved not to see her curled up in a pile of tears on the bed. “Kee?” I called.
She must have camped out on the balcony. I didn’t blame her. It was my favorite place to unwind. That or the rooftop deck.
I strolled across the room and out the still-open door, worry creeping through my gut when she wasn’t there either. “Keely?”
I hurried back into the main living area, checking the kitchen, dining room, gym, and office in quick succession. Nothing. I ran through the spare rooms. Still nothing. Then to the theater. The lap pool. The rooftop deck.
Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.
When I ran back into the living room, it hit me: it was quiet. I ran around the penthouse like a madman yet Stanley hadn’t barked once. That’s because he wasn’t there.
Kee was probably out walking him. Son of a bitch.
I pulled my cell from my rear pocket, fingers fumbling as I sent her a text.
Out walking Satan?
I headed to the front door, swallowing down the sudden anger that was bubbling up. She should have told me if she was going outside. It still wasn’t safe for her. Even with the new Ever announcement a world away.
Once the door opened to an empty hallway, more anxiety slapped me upside the head, remembering that I’d dismissed the guards for the night. I hurried to the lobby elevator, smacking the button like a madman. I watched it climb at a snail’s pace before fetching me, taking the long ride down while tapping my fingers against my phone case, thoroughly pissed she hadn’t texted me back yet.
Where are you? I’m coming to meet you outside.
I didn’t have shoes on, but I didn’t give a rat’s ass. I’d walk across glass to keep her safe.
I spilled into the lobby when the doors opened, running across the marble with all eyes on me. A man who dared to stare too long got the finger. I wasn’t in the mood for anyone’s shit.
“Kee?” I called as I rushed down the front steps, scanning the surrounding sidewalks for a sign of her and Stanley but coming up empty.
I rushed back inside, turning to one of the building guards. “Did you see a woman come through with a Chihuahua? Dark, curly hair. Black dress.”
Panic was setting in, worry getting the upper-hand. What if someone grabbed her on the street? She’d been gone over an hour. There was no telling how far a person could get with that lead.
A follow-up of guilt rocked me to my core. It was my fault. I never should have excused the guards for the day. I was cocky. Arrogant.
The mustached man answered without hesitation, “Yeah, she left about a half hour ago.”
I was going to be sick. “Did she say where she was going?”
The shake of his head had me hauling ass back upstairs, bursting through the front door of the penthouse to check her things, horror ripping through me when I saw that the backpack we’d picked up earlier was gone, along with her laptop.
Where the computer once laid on an end table was a note scrawled on a piece of scrap paper,
