Page 104 of No Longer Mine

I hadn’t meant to go there. I hadn’t meant to remember.

But the weight of Jameson’s touch still lingered, the echo of his threats woven into my bones. Don didn’t push, didn’t press for more. He simply moved a piece across the board, his tone steady when he finally spoke. “You’re still thinking like you did back then.”

I blinked, yanked from the memory. “What?”

“You said you had nothing and you were nothing. You said all you were was a pretty face to them.” He met my gaze, unwavering. “But you survived. That means you were something. It means you were smart. You adapted. You ended up here, and where are they?”

I didn’t need to answer, his eyes told me that he already knew everything besides who really killed the Vanewoods.

I let out a slow breath, and my fingers brushed over the queen. “It didn’t feel like survival. It felt like losing.”

“Sometimes survival looks like losing. Until you win.”

I studied him for a long moment. The way he spoke, the certainty in his voice—it wasn’t just empty reassurance. He knew. He understood in a way most people never would.

I moved my piece, tipping one of his pawns over. “Then I guess I need to start winning.”

A slow smirk tugged at Don’s lips. “Now you’re getting it.”

Chapter Forty-Five

Dimitri

Vance droppedme off at the corner. I trusted the guy fine, but I didn’t trust anyone else. I didn’t want anyone knowing I was seeing Scarlett more than once—especially my father. Don had left my bag of clothes with Vance earlier in the morning, so I would have a change of clothes when I got to the office. But when I got to the office to change, I realized he’d packed a lot more than one suit. There were three suits in a dry bag and a week’s worth of underwear, socks, and sweats in my gym bag.

I frowned at the bag, shaking my head. Don was either trying to make a point or he knew something I didn’t.

A whole week’s worth of clothes?

I ran a hand down my face, exhaling slowly. It wasn’t like I hadn’t thought about staying longer. I’d barely made it through the day without checking my phone a hundred times, waiting for a message from Don or Vance to tell me something had gone wrong.

Scarlett wasn’t defenseless, but she was injured. And knowing her, she’d push herself too hard, too fast.

That’s what really had me turning the corner toward her building instead of heading home. I’d promised myself Iwouldn’t stay the night. That I’d check in, make sure she wasn’t bleeding out, and then leave.

I wasn’t going to stay a week, but another night didn’t hurt. I had another suit, and Don could bring me to the office in the morning. At least that was what I told myself.

When I pushed open Scarlett’s door, she was reclining on one side of the couch, with Don on the other. They were laughing about something I’d missed. A chessboard sat between them. My brows raised.

I leaned against the doorway, crossing my arms. “Should I be concerned that my bodyguard is bonding with my…” I hesitated, searching for the right word.

What was she? A thief? A problem? A woman who had been taking up too much space in my head and now, my life?

Scarlett turned her head lazily, eyes heavy-lidded from exhaustion but sharp as ever. “Your what, exactly?” she challenged, a slow smirk curling her lips.

Don didn’t even look up as he moved his knight across the board. “Your girl is ruthless.”

My eyes flicked between them. Your girl. The words lodged somewhere in my throat.

“She beat you?”

Don finally met my gaze, looking the most impressed I’d ever seen him. “Twice.”

Scarlett yawned, stretching carefully so she didn’t pull at her stitches. “Three times, actually. But who’s counting?”

I exhaled through my nose, shaking my head as I stepped farther into the room. “I don’t know if I should be impressed or concerned.”

She tilted her head, looking at me through thick lashes. “That’s what makes it fun, isn’t it?”