Page 72 of Completing Her

“If it doesn’t?”

“Saturday, we’ll take a walk and have an argument. You’ll storm away and jump in a passing cab and go home. You’ll let him see you’re alone in the apartment.”

“But Egan will be inside my place?”

“Yes.”

“And it will be your man who drives me home?”

“Yes.”

“And there will be some of your people in the store?”

“Of course.”

She smiled at me. “Then I’m safe.”

“You’re coming back to mine on Sunday.” I lifted her hand and kissed it. “If I last that long.”

“Okay,” she agreed easily.

“I hate this. The thought of you being out of my sight makes me want to rage.”

“But you won’t. You’ll do it for me.”

“Yes. Now I guess I had better take you out to dinner, so he hears us if he is listening.”

She nodded, her eyes dimming. “Okay.”

I wrapped her in my arms, knowing how brave a front she was putting on. “We’ll figure this out, Raven. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

She lifted her head, the trust in her gaze humbling me. “I know. That’s why I can do it.”

CHAPTERSIXTEEN

Raven

As we left Damien’s office, he held a finger to his ear, reminding me that Andy might be listening. I still felt sick to my stomach at the breach of privacy. Knowing he’d listened to me in my apartment. At school. While I had coffee with Deb. Some intimate moments with Damien when he kissed me, comforted me, outside the safe zones. I was angry at Andy. Furious with myself for ever having joined a dating site. Deb may have had a lot of enjoyment with it, but my experience was vastly different. Then again, we were very different people. She was outgoing and fun. Loved going dancing and to parties. Always up for a weekend away. I preferred to stay home, read. Cook and bake. I was more comfortable with a small group of friends than a roomful of strangers. I was best one-on-one. Deb loved being in a crowd.

I nodded at his reminder, and he squeezed my hand, drawing me close and dropping a kiss to my head. I waited until we were in the car, the gate had rolled up, and we were pulling onto the street to talk.

“I mean it, Damien. I’m going shopping with Deb tomorrow, and we’re heading out for a drink after at Rockies. Just the two of us,” I stressed, acting as if I were returning to a conversation from earlier.

We weren’t sure if Andy knew I was being watched by someone other than Damien, if he knew who Damien was. Damien assumed he did, but we decided to act as if we had no clue.

“I said I would come. I’m not comfortable with you out on your own.”

“I’ll be in the Dollar Store. So will a hundred other people. Deb will drive us to the bar, we’ll have a few drinks and dinner and do some more planning.”

“Raven—”

I interrupted him. “You are not coming, Damien. Case closed.”

“And when Andy approaches you?”

“I will have Deb there, plus lots of other people around. Stop obsessing. You are almost as bad as he is.”

I saw the flash of hurt on his face, and I reached over, squeezing his hand and shaking my head. He squeezed my fingers back, but I had a feeling he was actually hurt by my words.

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