Page 277 of By His Rule

I assumed she had. I know how close they are. But up until her last comment, she was keeping her cards very close to her chest.

“Kian,” she breathes. “She wants time and space. Give it to her.”

“I did,” I argue. “I gave it to her last week when I fucked off to London. Look what good that did,” I shout, a little too loudly.

“No wonder she ran,” Tate mutters down the line.

“Okay, fine. Maybe I came on a bit strong. But…fuck, Tate. She’s stronger than this. She should be here facing me and telling me that she doesn’t want me if that’s the case.”

My brows pinch when Tate’s reaction to my comment is to laugh.

“The fuck, Tatum?”

“Of course she wants you, you idiot. That’s exactly why she isn’t here. If she wasn’t interested, trust me, she would be telling you to your face. You should be pleased she ran.”

“Pleased?” I balk. “How could I be pleased that I sent her running after we?—”

“Screwed on your desk?” she finishes for me. “Hot, by the way. I love it when King bends me?—”

“Tatum,” I bark, not wanting or needing to hear this.

“She cares, Kian. You’re scaring the ever-loving shit out of her, and she doesn’t know how to deal.”

“So tell me where she is and let me go and attempt to fix it.”

“I can’t,” she repeats, sounding exasperated.

“Let me talk to King. Maybe I can get it out of?—”

“No. Just wait. She’ll be back.”

“When?” I demand.

“When she is ready.”

“She has work tomorrow. She can’t bail on her job.”

Silence greets my comments.

“I swear to God, Tate, if you’re about to tell me that she’s handed her notice in…” I trail off, not really knowing where I’m going with that threat.

“She hasn’t. She’s put in a request for emergency leave, though.”

“Emergency? What’s?—”

“I need to stop talking before I say too much.”

“That’s exactly why you need to keep talking,” I counter.

“Lorelei is fine, and she will be back when she’s dealt with her— fuck. I’m going. Bye, Kian.”

She cuts the line, and silence descends around me.

“Fuuuuck,” I groan as I fall back on the couch and drop my cell into my lap.

I stare out of the window, watching as the sun descends for the day, the unease in my stomach only growing.

If I were to push Tate, I know that she’d eventually crack and tell me everything I need to know. But I don’t want to do that.

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