Though she was still feeling numb, she somehow found her way to the street level. They had parked about a block away, so he would likely pull up to the front entrance of the department store. As she stood at the exit, keeping her eye out for her car, she heard someone call her name.
“Mika?”
She turned around, and it took seconds before her brain put together the identity of the owner of the voice. “Madeline?” Her heart stopped for one beat as she stared at the white-haired, older woman before her and the man beside her. “George?”
“I thought that was you.” Achingly familiar blue eyes looked back at her.
“I’m …” There were no words to describe how she felt, except it was like a phantom pain that had resurfaced. Because what was she supposed to say to Madeline and George Morgan, Joe’s parents. “H-how have you both been?”
Madeline looked at her with a curious expression, then her eyes dropped lower. “Oh.” There was a hitch in her voice as she stared at Mika’s obviously pregnant belly. “You’re …” She swallowed audibly. “Congratulations.”
Mika didn’t miss the brief pain that passed across the older woman’s face. After all, Madeline knew the struggles she and Joe had, about how hard they tried for a baby of their own. And, of course, now she must think—
George cleared his throat and put an arm around his wife. “Mika, dear, it’s lovely to see you. I’m glad to see you’re well.” He tightened his hold on his wife. “We both are, aren’t we Maddy?”
“Oh.” Madeline blinked, as if she’s been shaken out of a trance. “Oh! Dear.” She shook her head. “It’s been a long while and we didn’t really keep in touch as much as we should have … I was just caught by surprise.”
“I should have told you,” Mika said bitterly. “It was … insensitive of me to spring this on you like this.”
Madeline looked horrified. “Oh no, please don’t think that, Mika.” Her hands, paper-thin and wrinkled, squeezed around hers with a reassuring strength. “You’ll always be like a daughter to us. But you also have your own life, we all do. And we must … move on.” She looked to her husband, giving him a weak smile to which he replied with a solemn nod. “Not to ever forget Joe and what he means to us, but also continue on with our lives because that’s what he would have wanted.” She gave Mika’s hands a squeeze. “I’m so happy to see you’ve fulfilled your dream of being a mother. He would have wanted this for you. And I’m sure your husband must be very happy too.”
“I—” How to say it? How to tell them? “I don’t—”
“Cher?”
And there it was, the sound of the other shoe dropping.
She’d been so caught up with Madeline and George that she didn’t hear the car approach or Delacroix coming up to her. She wished she had talked to him about Joe before, but now it was too late. Unless she quickly got him out of here and then explain to him. Really explain this time.
Madeline smiled warmly. “Oh, hello. Is this your—”
“Bodyguard,” she said, the tone coming out flat. Without even looking at him, she felt Delacroix flinch at the word. Her wolf didn’t like that and clawed at her in anger.
George didn’t look convinced. “Oh. You’re still working at the security firm at your uncle’s company?”
“Kind of,” she said. “I’ve moved departments. Promotion.”
“That’s nice—Oh no.” Madeline looked at her watch. “George, they’re going to give our table away if we don’t hurry.”
“You’re right, Maddy. We should go. Mika,” he began. “It’s nice seeing you.”
“Please, call me anytime, you know our number at home,” Maddy said, the corner of her eyes crinkling as she smiled. “Congratulations.” She reached over to wrap her arms around Mika.
“Th-thank you,” she murmured as her former mother-in-law hugged her tight. “I might take you up on that.”
“I would love it.”
She watched as the couple crossed the street, her own heart thudding her rib cage. “Marc, I—”
He quickly turned around without saying anything, but the stiffness in his shoulders and his tightly controlled gait told her everything.
I fucked up.
Her wolf agreed, its claws sinking into her. And she allowed it, because it couldn’t compare to the pain she’d inflicted on him.
I have to make it right!
He had already slipped inside the car, and she scrambled after him. “Marc—”
The engine roared to life as he turned the key in the ignition. Before she could continue, he stepped on the gas, making the car jerk forward. She braced herself on the dash, then quickly secured herself with the seatbelt.
From the grim set of his jaw and the tension in his arms and shoulders, she knew this wasn’t the time to talk. So, she sank back into her seat and clamped her mouth shut as the car made its way uptown.
When they got to The Enclave, she realized he wasn’t driving toward his apartment building, but to hers. Her heart sank as the car entered the garage and pulled up to the front of the elevator lobby. Wordlessly, he got out of the car, took her packages out of the trunk, and came to the front to open the door for her.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m escorting you to your apartment, Ms. Westbrooke.” Each word cut into her like a blade.
“Marc, please.” She got out of the car and faced him. “Don’t be like this.”
“Like what?” He kept his stare ahead, his eyes hard as flint.
“Like you’re … like you’re just—”
“Your bodyguard?” he finished. “Or some guy you fuck when you’re feeling horny?”
“No! No, Marc, please.” She gripped his arms. “It’s not like that. You’re not just some guy. I’m sorry I
