Page 120 of The Reluctant Hero

I take my time pacing to the couch like a coward, bracing myself to see her again. Sprawled out and barely covered with rosy cheeks and a dazed look of bliss. Her vulnerability was just as shocking as mine. I want more of it. I need to see her just as affected as I am to prove it’s real.

Instead I find empty cushions and a blanket on the floor. No sign of Amanda.

I left her too long.

I hurry out to the reception area. Vanessa is missing. I check my watch and see it’s lunch for her. There are no witnesses to Amanda’s escape.

I understand being upset. I was an ass that didn’t say a single thing after my release. But why run?

Was it an illusion? Did she not feel the same thing I did?

Dread begins to replace the light feeling as my mind spins.

A chime from the elevator draws my attention. My hopes lift until Ace and Mikael appear, with Cade carrying two containers of food.

They pause in the elevator with tightly held expressions.

“Like the hair,” Ace says, and they all start snickering like children.

“Sheleft,” I rasp out harshly.

Mikael begins to frown while Ace shrugs without concern. Cade’s head tilts in confusion.

“She’s nervous and afraid she’s screwed everythin’ up. One of us can track her down and keep an eye out. Stop stressin’.”

“It’s nice to see him stressing. Stop comforting him,” Mikael says with a sudden smirk.

I stare back at him in disbelief as Cade laughs.

“What happened, Gabe?” Cade manages to ask. Based on his smile, he already knows. It’s brittle around the edges, which confuses me. Was the laugh fake?

I stalk back into the office with gritted teeth, unable to face their confusing reactions.

Ace is right behind me. He immediately scans the area before his eyes settle on the couch.

“A nooner, Gabe?”

“Shut up,” I snap back, running a hand through my mussed hair.

“Shut up? I’m proud of you. You actually stopped workin’ to have sex. It’s unheard of.”

They chuckle as they watch me fume. I guess I imagined Cade’s expression, he’s pleased at my failure.

“I fucked it up,” I snap in frustration.

They exchange a glance, still amused.

“I left her on the couch and didn’t say anything to her.”

Ace’s smile drops as Mikael winces. Cade lets out a low whistle with raised brows.

“I take it back. Not proud,” Ace’s brows begin to lower.

An alert goes off somewhere. Ace sneers and pulls his phone out of his back pocket.

He reads a text. Pauses. Reads again.

“That ain’t right,” he whispers and smashes his screen as he responds.

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