The following day, I hobbled toward Bougie's office with two coffees. His assistant wasn't in his usual seat, so I knocked on his office door.

"Come in," his ordinarily gruff voice came through.

I opened the door to see him typing on his computer. His usual perma-frown was on his face, which felt more fitting than the concerned one he wore yesterday as he sat with me in the hospital. While it was nice seeing a different side of him, there was a certain comfort in his usual expression being back on his face.

"Good morning, sir." I placed a coffee down in front of him. "Black."

Bougie looked at the cup and then up at me.

"You brought me a coffee?"

I nodded. "As a thank you for yesterday."

I looked down at my wrapped knee. I had opted to wear a skirt as all my pants felt too tight around the injury.

Bougie licked his lips as he looked at what I had brought.

"Belle, you know I worked in RBI capacity yesterday, right?" His eyes met mine. "Nothing more."

I stood still for a fraction of a second as embarrassment washed over me. I hadn't intended my coffee to be more than a thank you, and now I felt like I was in an awkward conversation with my supervisor.

I cleared my throat. "Sir, I'm aware that we are no more than–" I paused, trying to gauge what he would want me to refer to us as. " Boss and subordinate?"

Bougie chuckled and then reached for the coffee. "I suppose I could use a pick-me-up." I smiled as he took a sip. He gestured to one of the plush navy velour chairs in front of his desk. "You can sit, Belle."

"Why is it that you have no problem calling me Belle, but Villeneuve won't?"

"Why do you call Adam by his last name?"

I thought for a moment. "He's never asked me to call him anything else. I suppose if he had, I would."

"Don't take it personally," Bougie said. "He really is like this with everyone."

"You seem friendly with him."

"That's different. We've been friends since I started here."

"And his... curse," I said the word even though I thought it silly, "doesn't bother you?"

Bougie took a breath. "Emotions are complex. Often, what is on the surface isn't the whole picture. Kind of like an iceberg."

"I'm aware of that, but it doesn't mean he should yell at his squad."

Bougie nodded in agreement but didn't say anything further. He pressed his coffee to his lips again, taking another sip.

"What are you working on?" I asked.

"Fixing an evidence report of Horloge's, actually." Bougie set down his coffee cup and clicked on his screen. "He was a bit vague, and he's out in the field again today helping on another case."

"Can I take a look?" Bougie raised his brows at my question. "I feel like it might be good training for me."

Bougie sighed. "Come around."

I stood up and walked around his sleek, modern-looking desk. I gasped when I saw the evidence—the Juliet rose.

"Why did Horloge have this?"

"He's the one who discovered it and took it into evidence." Bougie's eyes narrowed. "Did you not... know?"

I shook my head. "Did he–" I couldn't even bring myself to finish the sentence. I had come to like Horloge even though he was quirky. The idea that he was the one to place the handcuffs on my father was more than I could handle.

Bougie crossed his arms and swung his chair to face me. "This squad has been investigating Anton for years. This was the big assignment that Adam got once he made SAC. You must know that we all played a role in what happened to your father."

I felt tears sting the back of my eyes, but I did my best to control them. He was, of course, right. I had joined this team to save him.

"Yes. I know."

Bougie stood up and put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry you're going through this, Belle. I can tell you're a good person."

"Everything with my father," I swallowed a sob that wanted to escape. "It's changed me. I don't know who to trust or where to turn. I'm stuck here with all of you, and failure means damning my own blood."

"Trust me." Bougie knelt closer to my level. "We may only be colleagues, but I care about my team. I will keep you safe, Belle, and in turn, your father."

"Do you even care about my father? He's a criminal."

"He's still a human."

A tear slipped.

Bougie sighed, annoyed. "Belle." He reached out with his thumb and wiped the tearaway.

Just then, Bougie's office door flung open to reveal Villeneuve. He was carrying a few file folders and fumbled them when he saw me standing there. The surprised expression was washed away by anger. I felt Bougie's hand move from my face as he turned and put both hands in his pockets.

"Good morning, sir."

Adam strode over to the desk and dropped the files down harder than was necessary, causing me to flinch.

"I'm done with these files. You said you wanted to review them," Adam said through gritted teeth.

"Ah, yes. Thank you." Bougie pulled the files closer to him.

Adam looked between us, then turned on his heel and stormed back out, slamming the door behind him.

I let out a slow breath as Bougie turned to face me, chuckling to himself.

"What?"

Bougie shook his head. "Nothing you need to worry yourself with. Do you still want to help with this evidence? These files contain more corrections."

"Beats trying to research how to make my foresight work on command."

Bougie chuckled and pulled a chair over. Slowly and patiently, he walked me through logging the evidence, the most common errors, and the significance of them remaining on file. After, he sent me to review surveillance and, when I was done with that, to do some filing. When I looked up again, I realized the office had cleared out, and the sun was setting over the city.

I walked over to a window and looked out. The pattern made by the skyline looked beautiful in the orange glow of the sun going down behind the mountains.

"You're still here."

I jumped at Villeneuve's voice.

I chuckled nervously and pushed some of my curls behind my ear. "Yes. I was working and lost track of time. I was just leaving."

"The city is beautiful, isn't it?" Villeneuve asked as he stepped up to the window.

He wasn't looking at me; his eyes were fixed on the sun as it slowly moved behind the mountain.

"It is."

"Is this your first time in Clerteaux?"

I laughed, causing Villeneuve to shoot me an angry look. I cleared my throat.

"I think it's hard to live on these islands and not visit the capital."

"I guess your father was here a lot."

I nodded. "Yes."

"Was it hard moving around?"

"It was until we settled in Rosnes," I admitted. "The RBI never moved him after that, and that became home."

"You miss it," Villeneuve concluded.

"Yes."

"Nothing could make you find this city to be home?"

I shrugged. "I suppose there is one thing, but I refuse to let that one thing happen."

Villeneuve hummed. "I suppose that one thing would be enjoying being part of the RBI."

I shook my head. "No. I could ask for relocation to Rosnes if that were the case."

"It would take two years to get back there."

I looked at him, catching his eyes, and my breath hitched.

"I'd still get there."

"Well, then," Villeneuve said with an amused smile. "Tell me what the one thing is."

"Isn't it obvious? It's the thing that forces everyone to pack up their life and relocate."

I thought of my mother and the many places she fell in love with, only to leave them. If only she lived long enough to enjoy our life in Rosnes. To finally settle and not leave things in boxes worrying in the next year we'd move.

"Tell me," Villeneuve encouraged.

I blinked a couple of times, then took a breath.

"Love, sir. Love has the power to make anyone change," I answered.

I slammed the door shut on my apartment and waited for the rhythmic sound of the automatic lock to tell me I was safe. I quickly threw my purse on my couch and climbed the stairs to my bedroom.

I threw myself on my bed as I opened the second drawer in my nightstand, which contained everything a single woman could ever need. I removed my panties and hit the power button on my long purple wand before pressing it against myself.

I moaned loudly as I felt the building sensation I needed.

"Love," Villeneuve nodded a pained smile. "You're right, I suppose."

"If I'm being honest, I've never felt it."

Villeneuve's eyes shot open. He looked both curious and surprised.

"Never?"

I shook my head. "Never." I shrugged as I hugged myself. "I've had plenty of chances, but I've never experienced love. At least, I don't think I have."

Villeneuve's eyes furrowed. "I'm surprised."

"Why?"

Villeneuve's mouth twitched. He seemed unsure of what to say next.

He shook his head. "No reason."

"Tell me."

For a moment, the wall between us, the boss, and the worker seemed to fall as he turned his body and looked me up and down. My breathing grew more shallow as I also faced him.

"You're very bright, kind, and capable. It surprises me that no one who has had a chance to be with you hasn't done everything they could to keep you."

I licked my lips. "You make it sound like I'm some prize you win at a carnival or something."

Villeneuve shook his head. "No, that would make you cheap. You are of real value."

My heart was beating rapidly as he stepped closer to me.

He touched my arm and leaned to whisper in my ear, "So you know, there isn't one agent in this office worthy of you." He stayed close like that for a second too long for it to be a friendly touch, and my wrist was against something hard in his pants.

He let go and walked away, and my eyes searched the floor as I tried to reconcile what had happened.

Had I just seen the human side of the beast?

"Adam!" I cried out as I reached my orgasm.

I pressed my head further into the pillow as I dropped my vibrator, breathing heavily, remembering his scent and the feel of his breath on my ear.