Millie

I walked back to Lochlan's apartment building in distracted silence, my body guard trailing behind. There were things I'd planned to do with the rest of my day, but now I just wanted to put on sweatpants and sulk in front of a comfort show.

I wiped a hot tear off my cheek. When had I started crying and hadn't I decided once already Marcus wasn't worth my tears? Not after his betrayal. Spending days with him in such a cozy, happy setting must have reset my feelings back to default, making me forget he was the reason I was in this mess to begin with. And what was that reaction when I mentioned Roman? Was Lochlan's father involved in all this?

"Ms. Gordon?"

I snapped to attention and discovered we had reached Lochlan's door. Jones watched me with an unreadable expression, his beefy hands folded in front of him.

"Sorry. I guess I wasn't paying attention."

The expression was no longer unreadable. His tone was sharp, bordering on unprofessional when he said, "You should always be aware of your surroundings."

"Yes, you're right." I slid the key into the lock. "Is Mr. Sloan home?"

His shoulders pulled back, and he looked away as he answered, "No. I believe he's still at the office."

"Thank you. I don't think I'll leave again today, but if I need to—"

"I'll be out here."

A few days ago this would have annoyed me, but now that Lochlan assigned his men to me out of genuine concern and not suspicion, it didn't feel nearly as suffocating. And I was growing accustomed to the increased sense of safety they provided whenever I was in the city. Especially knowing Melnyk and his men were waiting in the shadows, their desperation growing. Would he contact me when Marcus told him about the DNA test?

The apartment was quiet and smelled like cleaning solution. The blanket on the couch looked as if someone had ironed it before artfully draping it over the back, and the dishes we'd left in the kitchen sink this morning before Dr. Chen arrived were gone. Lochlan's car keys hung on the hook by the door, but that didn't mean he was here. He may have opted to have his driver take him into work.

"Hello," I called out in case the housekeeper was still here. There was no answer.

Rubbing the back of my neck, I headed toward my room, considering a long bath before putting on comfy clothes. Maybe even a nap. Nothing like a nap to act as a reset button, and I desperately wished to go back to how the day was before meeting Marcus.

As always, the moment I entered the hallway, my eyes went to the office door, but unlike every time before, the door was opened. Just a sliver.

Heart pounding, I changed course and approached it slowly, gaze swinging from side to side as if Lochlan might materialize beside me. I dug the flash drive from my pocket and turned it over in my palm. Such a small thing, but if I plugged that into his computer and delivered it to Melnyk, everything between us would be over. When I agreed to this, it had seemed like an acceptable ending, but now... I sucked in a ragged breath. Losing Lochlan would feel like losing part of myself.

But I'd lose him either way. Melnyk would hurt him. Hurt Anna and Alex, too. The bastard would probably ensure I lived long enough to suffer knowing I could have prevented everything. I just had to hope I could do this and make things right later.

I opened the door. Afternoon light poured through the window. The golden beams landed on his desk, lighting his computer like a beacon. I settled in the chair and ran my hands over the gleaming, dark wood surface. This space felt more like Lochlan than his corporate office did. It even smelled like him, or maybe his scent lingered on my skin. We'd spent so much time entwined, I wouldn't be shocked.

A lock screen greeted me when I tapped on the keyboard. Of course, he kept it locked. But they hadn't told me to log in. Just to insert the flash drive. If it didn't work, that wasn't my fault. Right?

Hand shaking, I uncapped the drive and moved to insert it. I lined it up and stopped. I couldn't do it. I wouldn't do it. It fell onto the desk with a clatter, and I shoved the chair back, putting my face in my hands.

"Such a talented actress."

The back of the chair slammed into the bookshelves behind me. Glass rattled and something landed on the floor with a dull thud and rolled out of sight. Lochlan emerged from the corner behind the door, his eyes black and glittering as he leaned across the front of the desk.

"Lochlan... It's not what you think."

"Let's see. It looked like you were about to insert a flash drive into my personal computer, either to plant something or steal information."

"But I couldn't."

His fingers twitched, and the corners of his eyes pulled tight. "What's stopping you?"

Bile rose in my throat and spilled into my mouth. "You know what."

He straightened and picked up a file sitting on the edge of the desk. Flipping it open, he dropped it in front of me. "Did he know what? Or what about him?"

"Where did you get these?" I asked as he flipped picture after picture of me with other men. I recognized each of them from cons I'd run with Marcus.

"Does it matter? Are you going to deny it's you?"

"No."

"Ah, honesty."

"I told you what I used to do, Lochlan. Why are you acting surprised?" My anger ratcheted higher with every page he flipped.

"But you also told me you didn't fuck your marks."

"I don't!" I shouted.

He picked up the flash drive and dangled it in front of me. "Hmm...I'm fairly sure my cock would beg to disagree with that considering it was in your mouth and your cunt this morning."

"But y-you're not a mark." Not anymore.

"Let's see."

He spun his laptop around to face him. He logged in. Typed some code I didn't understand and plugged the drive into the computer. Files opened. Some pictures. Others appeared to be articles and emails. If I thought Lochlan's mood was dark before, I was sorely mistaken. Every ounce of humanity leeched out of him until he finally turned to face me.

"Who gave this to you?"

"The Butcher."

"Bullshit."

"I'm telling you the truth!"

"The same way you told me the truth when you said he was after you. You work for him."

"No. Not like that." I reached for his computer to see what was on the drive, but he slapped my hand away. It didn't hurt, but I drew my hand to my chest and held it there as if he'd burned me.

With a roar, he snatched up the glass pencil holder and threw it at the wall. I'd never heard a person make such an inhuman sound before. Something between a groan and a keening wail, it made the hairs on my arm stand straight up, and if I thought he wouldn't strangle me, I would have run to comfort him.

"You're a disease," he panted, coming back to me and pulling out a last sheet of paper. It shook in his hands as he scanned it. "And I want you gone."

"Lochlan."

"Twenty-four hours, Millie. Get out of the city. Get away from here. Disappear. Don't contact Anna or Alex. There will be consequences."

With those words, he picked up the computer and slapped the paper in front of me. I waited until he was gone to let the tears fall, and I had to wipe them several times before I could clearly see the words on the paper.

Doug Felderman. 44 years old. Cause of Death—self inflicted gunshot wound.

The tears stopped as a crushing numbness spread over me. Lochlan was right. I folded the report into thirds, grabbed my purse, and walked out of the apartment, leaving my belongings behind. Those were ill-gotten gains. I didn't want them.

Jones didn't move to follow me, and I didn't speak to him. The elevator ride was brief and thankfully, no one got on with me. Walking outside, I threw my phone into a garbage can and walked into the night with no direction in mind. He told me to disappear, and that was precisely what I planned to do.