“Would you mind if I tag along sometime? I don’t know about that Krav what-a, but the gym. Where do you go?”

I swallowed a bit of chocolate and was about to reply when I heard a phone ringing.

“Are you going to get that?” Megumi asked, which alerted me to the fact that the phone was mine.

The burner phone, which was why I didn’t recognize it.

I dug it out quickly and answered with a breathless “Hello?”

“Angel.”

For a second, I savored the rasp of Gideon’s voice. “Hey. What’s up?”

“My attorneys just notified me that the police might have a suspect.”

“What?” My heart stopped. My stomach began to revolt against lunch. “Oh my God.”

“It’s not me.”

I don’t remember getting back to the office. When Megumi asked me for the name of my gym, she had to ask twice. The fear I felt was like nothing I’d ever suffered before. It was so much worse when you felt it on behalf of someone you loved.

How could the police possibly suspect someone else?

I had the horrible feeling they were just trying to shake Gideon up. Shake me up.

If that was the goal, it was working. At least on me. Gideon had sounded calm and collected during our brief conversation. He’d told me not to get upset, that he just wanted to warn me that the police might come by with more questions. Or they might not.

Jesus. I walked slowly back to my desk, my nerves shot. I felt like I’d gulped down an entire pot of coffee. My hands were trembling and my heart was beating too fast.

I sat down at my desk and tried to get back to work, but I couldn’t concentrate. I stared at my monitor and didn’t see anything.

What if the police did have a suspect who wasn’t Gideon? What would we do? We couldn’t let an innocent person go to prison.

And yet there was a tiny voice in my head whispering that Gideon would be safe from prosecution if someone else were convicted of the crime.

The moment the thought entered my mind, I felt sick over it. My gaze went to the photo of my dad. He was in his uniform, looking dashingly handsome standing next to his patrol car.

I was so confused, so frightened.

When my smartphone started vibrating on my desk, I jumped. Dad’s name and number flashed on the screen. I answered quickly. “Hey! Where are you?”

“Cincinnati. I’m switching planes.”

“Hang on, let me write down your flight info.” I snagged a pen and jotted down the details he gave me. “I’ll be waiting for you when you land. I can’t wait to see you.”

“Yeah … Eva. Sweetheart.” He sighed heavily. “I’ll see you soon.”

He hung up, and the subsequent silence was deafening. I knew then that the strongest emotion he was feeling was guilt. It colored his voice and made my chest ache.

Standing, I made my way over to Mark’s office. “I just heard from my dad. His flight lands at LaGuardia in a couple hours.”

He looked at me, then frowned, his gaze searching. “So go home, get ready, and pick him up.”

“Thanks.” That one word would have to do. Mark seemed to understand that I didn’t want to stick around and talk.

I used the burner phone to send a text while I took a cab ride home: Heading to the apt. Leaving in 1 hour to get dad. Can u talk?

I needed to know what Gideon was thinking … how he was feeling. I was a wreck and I didn’t know what to do about it.

When I got home, I changed into a simple, lightweight summer dress and sandals. I answered a text from Martin, agreeing that it was great we’d hung out Saturday night and that we should do it again. I double-checked the kitchen, making sure all of my dad’s favorite foods that I’d stocked up on were exactly where I’d put them. I checked the guest room again, even though I’d gone over it the day before. I got online and checked my dad’s flight.

Done. I had enough time left over to drive myself crazy.

I did a search for “Corinne Giroux and husband” on Google, looking specifically at images.

What I discovered was that Jean-Fran?ois Giroux was a really good-looking guy. Hot, actually. Not as hot as Gideon, but then who was? Gideon was in a league by himself, but Jean-Fran?ois was a head-turner in his own right, with dark wavy hair and eyes the color of pale jade. He was tan and had a goatee, which really worked for him. He and Corinne made a stunning couple.

My burner phone rang and I lunged to my feet in a rush, stumbling around the coffee table to get to it. I snatched it out of my purse and answered, “Hello?”

“I’m next door,” Gideon said. “I don’t have a lot of time.”

“I’m coming.”

I grabbed my purse and left my place. One of my neighbors was just unlocking her door, so I offered a polite, distant smile and pretended to wait for the elevator. The moment I heard her go inside her apartment, I darted over to Gideon’s door. It opened before I could use my key.

The Gideon who greeted me was in jeans and T-shirt, with a ball cap on his head. He caught my hand and pulled me inside, tugging the hat off before lowering his mouth to mine. His kiss was surprisingly sweet, his firm lips soft and warm.

I dropped my purse and wrapped my arms around him, snuggling into him. The feel of his strength eased my anxiety enough to allow me to take a deep breath.

“Hi,” he murmured.

“You didn’t have to come home.” I could only imagine how doing so had disrupted his day. Changing clothes, making the trip back and forth …

“Yes, I did. You need me.” His hands slid up my back, and then he pulled away just enough to look down into my face. “Don’t worry about this, Eva. I’ll take care of it.”

“How?”

His blue eyes were cool, his expression one of confidence. “Right now, I’m waiting on more information. Who are they looking at? Why are they looking at him? Chances are very good that it won’t pan out. You know that.”

I search his face. “What if they do?”

“Will I let someone else pay for my crime?” His jaw tightened. “Is that what you’re asking?”

“No.” I smoothed his brow with my fingertips. “I know you won’t let that happen. I’m just wondering how you’ll prevent it.”

His scowl deepened. “You’re asking me to predict the future, Eva. I can’t do that. You just have to trust me.”

“I do,” I promised fervently. “But I’m still scared. I can’t help being freaked out.”

“I know. I’m worried, too.” His thumb brushed over my bottom lip. “Detective Graves is a very intelligent woman.”

His observation clicked with me. “You’re right. That makes me feel better.”

I didn’t know Shelley Graves, not really. But in the few interactions I’d had with her, she’d struck me as being intelligent and street-smart. I hadn’t factored her into the equation, and I should have. It was odd to be in a position where I both feared who she was and appreciated it.

“You set up for your dad?”

The reminder brought some of the jitters back. “Everything’s ready. Except me.”

His eyes softened. “Any idea how you’re going to handle him?”

“Cary went back to work today, so we’ll celebrate with champagne and then head out to dinner.”

“You think he’s going to be up for that?”

“I don’t know if I’m up for it,” I admitted. “It’s screwy to be making plans to drink Cristal and kick up my heels in the middle of everything going on. But what else can I do? If my dad doesn’t see I’m okay, he’s not going to get over finding out about Nathan. I have to show him all of that ugliness is in the past.”

“And you need to let me handle the rest,” he admonished. “I will take care of you, of us. Focus on your family for a while.”

Stepping back, I grabbed his hand and led him toward the couch. It was weird being home so early after going in to work. Seeing the brightness of the afternoon sun beating down on the city outside the windows had me feeling out of step, reinforcing the notion that we’d stolen time to be together.

I sat, curled my legs, and faced him, watching as he settled beside me. We were so alike in many ways, including our pasts. Did Gideon need to get everything out in the open with his family, too? Is that what he’d need to fully heal?

“I know you have to get back to work,” I said, “but I’m glad you came home for me. You’re right—I needed to see you.”

He lifted my hand to his lips. “Do you know when your father’s heading back to California?”

“No.”

“My appointment with Dr. Petersen would’ve made tomorrow a late night for us anyway.” Gideon looked at me with a slight smile. “We’ll find a way to be together.”

Having him near … touching him … seeing him smile … hearing those words. I could get through anything as long as I had him next to me after a long day.

“Can I have five minutes?” I asked.

“You can have whatever you want, angel,” he said softly.

“Just this.” I slid closer and curved into his side.

Gideon’s arm came around my shoulders. Our hands linked together in our laps. We formed a perfect circle. Not as glittering as the rings we wore on our fingers, but priceless all the same.

After a moment, I felt him lean into me. He sighed. “I needed this, too.”

I hugged him tighter. “It’s okay to need me, ace.”

“I wish I needed you a little less. Just enough to make it bearable.”

“What would be the fun in that?”

His soft laugh made me fall even harder for him.

GIDEON had been right about the DB9. As I watched the parking attendant pull the sleek metallic gray Aston Martin to a stop in front of me, I thought it was pretty much Gideon on wheels. It was sex with a gas pedal; so much brute elegance it damn near made my toes curl.