Page 28 of He Will Come for Me

I tilt my head. “Rex said the same thing.”

“He said what?”

“Well, he said I was more important. So, maybe not exactly the same thing.” Phoenix still has a confused look on his face. “When he dropped you off and stayed with me. I asked him why he wasn’t going and he said I was more important.”

Phoenix’s face transforms when he lifts his lips into a soft smile. “You are.” He trails his fingers up my arm to my shoulder, leaving goosebumps in their wake. His large hand grips the side of my neck and he rubs his thumb along my jaw.

I stop breathing as I stare into his eyes. I could get lost in them. My tongue darts out to wet my lips. His eyes dart down to my mouth and linger there before he raises them again to look at me.

“Phoenix,” I whisper.I want to kiss him. I want him to kiss me.Without thinking, I shift forward. Phoenix’s grip on the side of my neck tightens before he drags his hand to grip the back of my neck.

Anticipation builds in my stomach as my heart begins to beat at the speed of a hummingbird's wings. I lower my eyes to his mouth. This man. He’s a beautiful specimen, with his ice-blue eyes, long eyelashes, and full lips. He leans forward. I lower my eyelids.

“Mr. Stone!” Clara’s voice cries out. My entire body slumps in the seat as Phoenix stands just as Clara enters his office.

“They found her!”

Chapter 13

Ilook between Clara and Phoenix, wondering who Clara is talking about. Rex enters a few seconds after Clara. Phoenix walks back to his desk pulling open a drawer. He grabs a gun and shoves it in the small of his back. My eyes widen at the sight.

What the hell is going on? Why does he need a gun?

“Where?” Phoenix barks as he grabs an extra gun magazine and puts it in his pocket.

“A shipping container at the port,” Rex answers.

I stand slowly from my chair as I try to piece together what they’re saying.Who did they find?“What’s going on?” I ask.

Phoenix stops in front of me on his way to follow Rex, who has already left. “I have to go. I might be gone for a few days, maybe longer.”

He kisses me on top of my head before walking out the door. Clara walks over to me and wraps her arm around my waist, rubbing her other hand up and down my arm.

“Who did they find?” I ask her.

“Her name is Anna. I believe the two of you graduated with her.”

I open my mouth, but close it again.

I knew she was his wife. I knew it. And here I was, two seconds from kissing him. Oh god. And it seemed like he was going to kiss me, too. Why would he do that? The way he ran out of here, she obviously means a lot to him. Maybe he’s lonely. If he bought me three years ago…

“Come on. I’ll make you some chamomile tea. It’ll help calm you so you can get some sleep tonight.” I mindlessly follow behind her to the kitchen. Sitting at the island, I watch as she makes the tea.

“Clara?”

“Hmmm?” She hums as she puts a kettle on the stove and turns it on.

“Why would Phoenix buy me if he was married to Anna? Or maybe they got married after he bought me?”

Clara turns to me with a look of shock on her face. Maybe she didn’t know Phoenix bought me. “Mr. Stone told you he bought you?” Or she’s surprised I know that at all.

“I had a memory that led to him telling me.”

She nods and wipes down the counter. “And you thought he was married to Anna when he did that?”

“He said his wife was kidnapped.” I twist my lips, deciding if I should confess to snooping in his office. “Then one day I was looking around in his office and I saw a picture of Anna in there.”

“Oh. You’ll need to ask Mr. Stone why he bought you.”

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