Page 66 of When He Hunts

Her lips parted. Only no words would come out. Was he saying that he wanted her to stay with him? Hope flared. Her withered heart began to bloom?—

“Or at least,” Ronan continued grimly, slanting a fast look in her direction before focusing on Tyler again, “she’s not leaving until I get the all clear from Gray. So stand the hell down, my friend. Because until I receive word that I am officially off-duty, I am in charge of Luna’s protection. She stays with me. And that is a non-negotiable detail.” A lift of his chin. “I am sure you understand all about non-negotiables.”

“Those non-negotiables can bite you in the ass,” Tyler murmured.

“Do I look scared?” A challenge.

“No, but you do seem a bit obsessed. Better watch that.” Tyler saluted. He took his wife’s hand. “Come, sweetheart, I think our own bungalow is waiting.”

“Will it be filled with candlelight and rose petals?” Esme batted her eyes at him. “A perfect lair of seduction?”

Tyler glared at Ronan. “Asshole. Now you’re making me look bad in front of Esme.” His head tilted as his stare narrowed in suspicion on Ronan. “Just why do you have the full romance package?”

“Because I believe in a thorough cover.” An immediate reply from Ronan. “We’re celebrating our fifth anniversary. What else would a caring husband do but splurge on the full package?”

“What else, indeed.” Tyler sucked in the side of his cheek. “Got to keep up those appearances.”

Esme elbowed him. He gave no reaction to the jab.

Tyler’s stare remained suspicious as he mused, “Interesting, though, the way she came running in this place. Whywereyou running, Luna? Were you scared of something?”

She felt heat sting her cheeks. She hadn’t been scared. Turned on, but not scared.

“I don’t think she was scared,” Esme pointed out.

An unnecessary point.

“I don’t think so, either,” her husband agreed. He inclined his head. “Night, you two. And, of course, Ronan, I don’t have to warn you about the danger of crossing lines, do I?”

“Considering that you married the last line you crossed, I’m thinking the warning isn’t one you should give.”

Luna was lost.

“I am not a line.” A dramatic announcement from Esme. “I am a star. A supernova. The light of his life. Did you not hear him say that very thing just moments before? I heard it. Incredibly romantic.”

“Absolutely. You are a light. A blinding supernova, no doubt.” Tyler nodded. “He used the wrong word. Ignore him.”

Esme sniffed again.

Luna did not know what to think of these people.

“In public, we’ll be strangers to you,” Tyler said. His voice had turned flat. Maybe his getting-down-to-business tone? “Thus, the secretive meeting. Sorry we had to lie in wait for you, but we didn’t exactly want the world hearing our business.”

Luna did not think he sounded particularly sorry. Just matter of fact. Like he had zero regrets for terrifying her.

“We already know the assumed names you’re using, and you can count on us to be professional when we are in public.”

“Professional is my middle name,” Esme declared.

“It is not,” Tyler returned. “Chaos is.”

She smiled at him.

Tyler tugged her toward the door, but Esme paused near Luna. “I heard you sing.”

Luna hadn’t seen the other woman during the performance, but, then again, her eyes had been glued to Ronan. She’d barely seen anyone else at all.

“You have talent.”

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