Page 91 of Take Her

She sent me a laughing emoji.

?? Okay, it’s been loaned to Freddie Senior. Which I assume means Freddie Junior is using it—only while I was in your system, I checked to see if I could figure out where he was, and he’s been at Blackwing since nine.

I mulled that information over as the dots started bouncing on my screen again.

Want me to report it stolen?

she asked.

As thrilling as that would be, no. Not yet. I want you to keep an eye out for it, though.

Can do

she said, and after a short pause,

How’s things with the Princess?

I glowered at my phone’s small screen.

Shut it.

Somehow I managed to work through the rest of the day then make it home and take my tie off before turning Lia’s camera on. She was sitting on her bed, surrounded by books, chewing on the cap of a highlighting pen. It was eleven o’clock, so I called her. The ringing of the phone scared her, but then I watched her smile as she saw my name, before giving the camera nearest her a nervous wave.

“You okay?” I asked, when she picked up.

Watching her already made me feel better. Knowing she was safe—and knowing I knew where she was—soothed something in my soul.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You might be camera-shy,” I said with a soft chuckle.

“I didn’t think I was—but this does feel a little beyond,” she said, grinning. Watching her smile was my new favorite activity—I got the feeling that she hadn’t done it enough, and I wanted her to get the chance to catch up on all the smiles that she’d missed. “How did you even explain this to them?” she asked, stretching out in bed.

“Easy,” I said, unbuttoning my shirt with one hand. “I’m paying them enough not to have to.”

She laughed at that. “I’m not complaining, but this does feel illegal.”

“Only if I sell your pictures on the internet later. The revenge porn laws in this state are fairly strict.”

Her jaw dropped and I heard her give a soft gasp. “Please tell me that’s not in the offing.”

“Do you think I could stand to have another man look at you?”

“Probably not?” she guessed, though I knew she knew the truth.

“Definitely not,” I said. “Lights out, little moth. Get to bed.”

She rolled her eyes directly at the camera and me. “How am I supposed to sleep like this, Rhaim?”

“Don’t know, don’t care. What matters is that I find it immensely comforting.”

She pouted. “And what if I do embarrassing things?” she protested.

“I’m an adult. There’s nothing you can do I haven’t seen.”

“And you’re watching me right now?” she asked.

What I wanted to tell her but didn’t was this: Yes, I am watching you, yes, I will always be watching you, and no, there is nothing you can ever do to ever get away from me, not until I say so or let your father’s machinations force me to let you go.

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