Page 106 of Trust Me

“Yes,” I lift my chin in defiance, “since you didn’t tell me she was coming as a way to get back at me.”

He flinches as if I struck him and takes a step back. That cold, blank look enters his eyes.

“I’ve apologized for that.”

“Those were just words. Sorry doesn’t make everything better. You will not use my niece in anyway. I’ll die before I let anyone use or manipulate her.”

His eyes narrow and his nostrils flare.

“You seem to not know me very well,wife,” he says through clenched teeth. “I was up working, and she got up early and asked what I was doing. She saw numbers in the spreadsheet I had open and got excited. That’s it.”

I think over his words. They’re probably true. Eve has done the same thing whenever I brought accounting or finance work home from the office. She can’t turn down the opportunity to work with numbers.

“I’m working from home today,” I say instead of responding to his last comment. I fold my arms across my chest, readying myself for a battle. Since the day of our marriage, Kyle has insisted that I ride into the office with him.

It’s one more way he wants to control what I do.

No doubt his moving in with me is another way to do that.

“Of course you will. You can’t leave Eve by herself.”

His words surprise me, but I school my features to not let it show on my face.

“I’ve already put a call into Bowen Academy to figure out why the hell no one noticed that she isn’t there yet. It’s going on nine o’clock back east. They haven’t called you yet, I presume?” He raises an eyebrow.

That’s when I realize he’s asking me a question.

I look around the kitchen for my phone. It’s on the island. Grabbing it, I see I have no missed calls.

“No.”

“She’s been gone for over twelve hours. They should’ve noticed by now,” he says. “They either haven’t noticed or they’re covering it up. Either of those scenarios is unacceptable. I’ll have my attorney call you to start the paperwork for a lawsuit.”

He closes and stuffs his laptop into his briefcase before grabbing his suit jacket from the back of the couch.

“Wait, what?” I ask right before he gets to the front door.

He turns to me. “What part do you need clarification on?”

I blink. “All of it. What are you talking about a lawyer? What lawsuit?”

“You’re going to sue that damn boarding school for losing Eve. If not for my security team, we wouldn’t have known that she was on a trip halfway across the country until she arrived.”

I frown. “Something you neglected to tell me on your own.”

His frown matches mine and he briefly looks down.

Is that shame?

Bullshit.Kyle Townsend doesn’t feel any shame.

“A fact I told you I regret.”

I wave his comment off. “I will contact the school,” I say, not knowing what else there is to say. I’m too speechless. It’s almost like he cares.

I glance down the hall as Eve comes back up from her bedroom. She’s dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Her dark brown, curly ringlets bounce around her shoulders as she walks.

“Are you leaving?” She looks to Kyle with sadness.