“Reid,” he said in greeting, his voice clipped but still sexy.
“It’s me, Lena.”
There was a pause, but then he spoke. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes, of course. I was just wondering if you’ve made any progress on the case.” I heard a faint clicking in the background. “Are you in your car? Should I call you back?”
“No, it’s fine. Bluetooth.”
“Oh. Well? Any news?”
“Listen, Lena, I’ve been working on it, but another case has been taking up a lot of my time. It’ll be a few more days before I can really get anything to you.”
“Oh,” I said, with more disappointment than I intended. Surely, I couldn’t expect to be Preston’s main focus. Of course he had other jobs he was seeing to. Then I heard my phone beep and when I pulled it away, I saw a text message from Derrek. “Can you hold on one second, Preston? I just got a text.”
“Sure.”
I pulled the phone away from my ear again and activated the screen.
**We’re going to a Gala tomorrow night. One of the charities the company supports is throwing a fundraiser. Formal. I’ll be there at seven to pick you up.**
“Shit,” I said as I finished reading it. I put the phone back up to my ear just as Preston started speaking.
“Lena? Is everything all right?”
I sighed. “No, not really. Derrek says we have to go to a fundraiser tomorrow night. I hate those enough to begin with, but having to pretend to be his happy wife for an evening really doesn’t sound like my idea of a fun time.” I rubbed the little bundle of wrinkles between my eyebrows, the skin bunching there from the tension rolling through my body.
Preston was silent at the other end of the line, but the silence also allowed me to hear his car turning off, signaling he’d arrived wherever he was headed.
“Anyway, sorry to bother you. Take your time with the case. I’m just anxious to get out of here.”
“Lena,” he whispered my name like it hurt him to do so. His voice was pained and thick, soft but strained. “Don’t go.”
“What?” My reply was whispered, just like his voice.
“Don’t go. Don’t. Make up some excuse, but don’t go with him.”
My mouth opened to say something, but then closed again, my mind not coming up with a reply.
“Preston, I have to go. I’m his wife,” I finally uttered. I heard him inhale and I winced, feeling like I’d hurt him somehow with my words.
“You’re only his wife on paper,” he said, sounding angrier, harsher.
“That’s the only part that matters right now.”
“His money can’t be so important to you that you’d basically sell yourself. That’s what you’re doing, Lena. You’re selling yourself if you go with him. You’re pretending to be his wife for money. What does that make you?”
Now it was my turn to be angry. “What, exactly, are you trying to say?” I turned out of the living room, headed to my bedroom and walked to my window, pulling the curtains back just slightly. Just enough to see his black Lotus in its usual spot a few houses down.
“I don’t want you with him.” This statement was spoken in a voice still firm and a little angry, but also pleading.
His words evoked so many emotions from me it was hard to nail one down. The overwhelming feelings were happiness and warmth. Preston cared enough about me to want to keep me from Derrek. Whether this was out of just macho dominance or genuine concern, it didn’t matter. It’d been years since someone cared about me and I wanted to wrap myself up in it. But all of that happiness was tamped down by my need to get out of my marriage intact. I couldn’t let my emotions ruin my plans.
“Preston, I don’t want to be with him, either,” I said as I looked at his car. I strained to see his form through the windows, but he was too far. The urge to lay my eyes on him was overwhelming. Just to see him. That was all I needed. “Will you do me a favor?” I whispered.
“Anything,” he replied, making my eyes close and the breath steal away from me.
“Can you get out of your car for just a moment?”
He didn’t answer, just opened his car door and got out, walking to the front of it, staring right at me in my bedroom window. I bit down on my lips to keep myself from asking him to come in, because I knew, without a doubt, if I invited him in the game would be over.
“You’re always gone when I wake up. How long do you stay out there?”
“Until I know for sure you’re safe.” His answer was both infuriating and beautiful.
“Goodnight, Preston.”