Page 110 of The Re-Proposal

She accepts it and pulls it up to her chin.

My smile fades as I watch her squeeze her eyes shut and breathe deliberately. It’s clear her attempt to focus on Joel isn’t keeping her mind occupied.

“Do you want me to pull over?”

“No.” Her voice is quiet. That’s more frightening to me than if she’d yelled. “Can I ask you something?”

I wait.

“How did you know where I was?”

“Lucky guess.”

Her eyebrows cinch together. “No one’s that lucky.”

“You create enough opportunities and luck will find you eventually,” I counter.

She doesn’t buy it. “Did you have someone following me?”

I run a hand through my hair. “No.”

She slants me a disbelieving look.

“I’m telling the truth.”

As she studies me, I keep my eyes on the road. The lights from skyscrapers pepper the windshield with dots of orange and silver. Almost like stars falling to the ground.

“How long have you known what really happened?” Ris asks quietly.

“Since I left your apartment last night.”

Her eyes widen. “That long?”

“Clay’s good at his job.” I pause at a red light. Pulling the jacket up around her chin and tucking it into her sides, I tell her, “He got a name and an address in a couple minutes.”

“Why didn’t you confront Hatchen immediately?”

I pause, trying to discern if that’s a genuine question or an accusation.Would Clarissa have been safe if I’d insisted on that address?

My eyes slide away from hers. “I said Clay got the information. I didn’t say he gave it to me.”

Her lips curl up.

“What?” I raise an eyebrow.

“No wonder your brother’s so successful.”

Jealousy pricks my chest. “Clay’s good at running his security business. I’m the one handling his money.”

“So what?”

“Your admiration should be tapered based on your definition of ‘successful’.”

“Arrogance isn’t a good look on you.”

“Giving credit where credit is due isn’t arrogance. It’s just being polite.”

Her lips twitch. She nuzzles her nose into my jacket, not appearing to be bothered by the smell of blood. “Clay’s a good big brother.”

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