peeped through the hole and found Lucian glaring on the other side. Her hand fumbled to unlock the
door. “Lucian? Wh-what are you doing here?”
“Is this a bad time?” His dark eyes narrowed on her, full of suspicion. Chances were, if she peeked
around the corner she’d find Dugan—who was really starting to piss her off. Didn’t these people have
work? “As a matter of fact—”
“Invite me in.”
She stiffened. Okay, clearly he knew she had company. Not wanting to make a scene, she eased the
door closed and stepped into the alley. “Why are you doing this?” she hissed.
“Who is he?”
Once again, he’d bulldozed into her personal business with no regard to her privacy. “Damn it,
Lucian, you can’t keep doing this! Not every part of my life is open to you, and you need to accept
that.”
“Bullshit. This is your private home. I get that you need this right now, but how would you feel if
some woman was visiting me at the penthouse? Call it whatever you like, Evelyn, but fair is fair. You
can’t hold a double standard.”
She gripped her temples, very aware of her pricey minutes with Jason ticking by. “Can we talk
about this later?”
“I’m not leaving until you give me some answers.”
Just once, she wanted something to be her own. Bristling with frustration, she snapped, “Do I ask
you for every detail of your private dealings? No. Why can’t you draw a line? I draw plenty for you!”
He stepped close enough that she could see the fine silk threading of each button on his jacket.
“Let’s not beat around the bush, Evelyn. You want me to admit I’m jealous? Fine, I will. There’s a
man I don’t know in your apartment right now, only a few feet away from your bed. Don’t pretend this
is all right. Not when you crashed a benefit just this week because the thought of another woman
accompanying me was enough to get you to interfere.”
He was right. Jealousy was a new emotion that wasn’t sitting too well with her. No matter how
much she wanted to throw his accusation in his face, declaring she’d never stoop so low, she couldn’t.
The idea of him dancing with someone else, dating someone else, was simply disgusting to her. She
had no idea she owned such possessive tendencies, but when it came to Lucian Patras, he was hers.
Part of her liked that he was equally possessive, but at times like this it was a huge inconvenience.
Before she could come up with another excuse, his fingers brushed against her cheek and he
whispered, “There’s nothing you could confide in me that would make me stop loving you, Evelyn. I
trust you. It isn’t that I think you’re having an affair, it’s that there’s a man in your apartment and you won’t tell me why. I don’t know him. How am I supposed to trust a stranger in such a setting with the woman I love when I know nothing of his purpose? Confide in me. Let me in. I promise not to
interfere, just . . . let me know what’s going on.”
All of her life she’d studied people from afar, assuming she could predict the most logical reaction
to an event, but there was something completely illogical about knowing someone up close and
personal the way she knew Lucian. It frightened her, how often he’d surprised her. There was nothing
predictable about him.
Their relationship had taken a severe detour over the last month, but this was not the man she left
behind. This was someone sensible and understanding, someone who needed her reassurance as much
as she needed his. He didn’t compute with the arrogant man she’d met last year. And while she liked
it, she didn’t know if she could trust this open side of him.
Shades of truth played in his eyes, begging her to trust in him. That look telling her all he wanted
was to know she was safe. It was as if he needed the assurance as much as breath.
Last night he arrived in a mood she was sure would lead to a fight. Something in the tone of his
voice had transformed the energy into something sexual. But he’d blown her away with his gentle
possession of her body. He was still Lucian, but there was something more there, something that
fascinated her and made her want to lean into that illusion of security. Was it an illusion?
Taking a huge chance, she let out a long breath and pushed open the door. “Come on.”
Opening the door, she led him inside. Slowly marching up the stairs, he followed. He wasn’t the
creeping giant she once feared. He was her friend. She’d been so afraid of exposing her flaws to his
perfection, but with every step she acknowledged just how ungrounded her worries had been. When
she reached the top step, Jason turned.
The man’s face showed surprise that they were not alone. “Hello,” he greeted politely. Jason was
easy to talk to and she liked that about him. That was why she hired him.