Page 119 of The Devil's Pawn

“Because security isn’t infallible. The tech that’s keeping you safe is.”

“Tech is infallible, too. Didn’t you see last week’s societal meltdown when half the social media apps stopped working?”

“I don’t use social media.”

“Well, I’m saying it can break.”

“Theirs may break. Mine won’t.”

I heave a sigh and stare at the waves. The breeze has picked up a little, making them bigger, frothier. The surfers will be happy.

“Ego comes before a fall.”

“It’s pride. Pride comes before a fall.”

“Same difference.”

A chuckle rumbles through his chest. “I have missed you, Imogen. More than I can explain.” He slides a hand around my neck and presses my head to his shoulder. “I’m lonely without you. My bed is cold, and my heart is empty. Please tell me how to fix this.”

I’m joking when I say, “Get a tracker put inyourarm, so I can trackyouwhenever I feel like it.”

He unfastens the button on his cuffs and rolls up his sleeve. There’s a tiny bruise on the outside of his arm. “Already did.”

My eyes flare wide. “You didn’t?”

He extends his hand. “Give me your phone.”

I fish it out of my pocket and hand it over. He raises it to my face to unlock the screen, then taps away for a few seconds. When he hands it back to me, there’s a flashing red dot on the screen and a map that shows where that dot is. Right here, on the beach. Sitting beside me.

“I can’t believe you did that.”

He rolls down his sleeve. “I’m not being misogynistic when I say you’re more vulnerable than I am. It’s the truth. You are. But if this makes you feel as though we’re a partnership, that we’re in this together, then I’m glad I did it.”

I bow my head. “I know you only did it to protect me, not control me.”

“I did. Your safety is all I care about.” He kisses my hair. “And on the subject of children, what do we do about that?”

“You’re set on no kids.”

“Yes. I… I can’t Imogen. I find it hard enough to sleep as it is. If I had a child, the fear of something happening would take over my life. It would paralyze me.”

“You could always put a tracker in them.” I laugh to let him know I’m not being serious, but his entire body tenses.

“It’s… an idea.”

I sit up straight. “Alexander, it was a joke. You can’t inject a baby with some foreign piece of tech.”

“I can if it will protect them.”

“No. That’s a step too far.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not sure it would make me feel better, anyway.” Sighing, he adds, “Where do we go from here?”

He’s so earnest, his amber eyes boring into mine, his handsome face pleading with me to choose him over the possibility of having children. God, he’s beautiful. I thought he was only shades of gray, but I see the color in him now, and it’s dazzling.

“I wish I had my drawing pad.”

His brow furrows. “Why?”

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