Page 48 of Guarded from Treachery

Something in my heart unclenches.

“Just two doors down.”

“And no one would mind me being there?”

“Absolutely not.” With one hand, I brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “The team already talked about moving you there if necessary. So the apartment is all ready. If you come, you’ll get to meet Jade and Sarah and Lucy. Plus Dante, Niall, and Xavier. Everyone’s really nice, and Jade’s pregnant, so you guys could talk about… I don’t know. Pregnancy stuff?”

Pregnancystuff? What am I, thirteen?

As she looks at me, her lips twitch. “Pregnancy stuff?”

Heat fills my cheeks. “Food and clothes and ultrasounds. Things like that.”

Isla smiles, her face lighting up with it. “I know.” She pauses. “I love it when your ears get all pink like—” Her mouth snaps shut. Red shoots up her face.

If possible, my ears get even hotter. “My ears?”

Now fuchsia, she blurts, “Oh, God, Matt. I’m sorry. That was completely inappropriate. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No,” I tell her, as hope kindles inside me. “It wasn’t. And I didn’t mind.”

“You didn’t?”

“I didn’t.” And though I shouldn't, I add, “I liked hearing you say it.”

“Oh.” As she looks into my eyes, something passes between us. “Good. I’m… I’m glad.”

There are so many things I want to say, most of them not suited for this moment. So I settle with something relatively safe instead.

“So… will you come to Blade and Arrow? If you really don’t want to, we’ll make it work here. But I think you’ll like it there. Really.” Then another truth slips out before I can stop it. “And I’d really like you there, too.”

Isla stares at me for a second, an unreadable expression on her face. Then she leans over to wrap her arms around my neck, her head coming to rest on my shoulder.

My arms come around her, hugging her close. Against my chest, her heart matches the same rapid rhythm as mine.

It feels perfect holding her. Like she’s supposed to be here.

“Yes,” she says quietly, her breath whispering across my neck. “I’ll go to Blade and Arrow with you.” Then she lifts her head away and meets my gaze. “But will we still get to playMinecraft? And watch aspirational home improvement shows?”

“Of course. Do you think I’d finish the treehouse by myself?”

“I hope not.” A beat, and then so softly I almost can’t hear it, “It’s my favorite part of the day.”

Oh.

I shouldn’t feel this way about her.

It’s not the right time.

But I can’t help it.

11

ISLA

“Ihope we’re not all descending on you too soon.”

Smiling brightly, Lucy stands in the hallway with five other women surrounding her, two I recognize and three I don’t. “You know Jade and Sarah, obviously,” Lucy continues as she gestures to the women in question, both of whom I already met three days ago when I arrived at Blade and Arrow.

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