Page 88 of Hold On

“Looking for a place to put mine.”

“Oh God. While I think about it, add this number to your contacts.” He handed Ren his phone. “The marquess has people keeping watch. If I need help, or you do, call. Those watching have been given our photos.” Dominic sighed. “I didn’t want you to get mixed up in this.”

Ren copied the number. “Too late. Anyway, you can cook. I’m hooked. This is delicious. Salad and fritters. Really tasty.”

Dominic smiled. “Thanks.”

“By the way, I cancelled the place I booked. Maybe we can go another time.”

“Did you get the money back?”

“Yes. No problem.”

“James told me that their contact is going to let Kilic know on Monday that I’m staying here. So until then, we should be fine.”

“No excuse to avoid my father’s party then. We could stay the night.”

“I can’t.”

“Ah. I’d forgotten. So what’s that box in your wardrobe?”

Dominic scowled. “You’re very nosy. Stuff Col kept for me from when I was a kid.”

“Sorry. I didn’t look in it. I just wondered. I’m currently suspicious of everything. You should be too.”

“Everything and everyone except you?”

“I will do everything I can to stop you getting hurt.”

“Except if things do go down, I want you to run.”

Ren reached out to stroke his cheek. “You know that’s not going to happen.”

“You have to. Promise me.”

“I’m currently crap at running.”

“I don’t care.”

“Fine. I’ll run.”

“Said in the tone of someone who has no intention of running but just wants me to feel better.”

“We’ll both run. I’m not going to leave you. I’ll use all my police expertise to make sure we’re fine. Okay? Stop thinking about it. I really don’t believe they’d get anywhere near us.”

Dominic cleared away the plates and dishes and took a bowl of chocolate-covered strawberries from the fridge.

Ren raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t think you had a sweet tooth.”

“I probably do. I tried not to feed it when I was inside. Comfort-eating chocolate wasn’t going to make me happy, so I resisted.”

“So where are yours?” Ren pulled the dish in front of him.

Dominic chuckled. “I was hoping we’d share.”

Ren picked up the largest strawberry and held it to Dominic’s lips.

Dominic bit it in half and Ren ate the other half.

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