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Nora takes the news with a remarkable amount of calm. She sets her coffee down, braces her hands on the counter, and takes a deep, steadying breath.

“How do you know?”

I give her a brief recap of the conversation I had with Blair while I was flying home last night.

“So he’s… what?” she asks when I’m finished. “Poking his nose into the Bureau’s business? Did Blair say if he’s accessed any records, or learned anything about me?”

I shake my head. “Bureau business and information about individual cases is still confidential, no matter what any government official might want or ask for. It’s not in anyone’s right, even a sitting congressman’s, to ask for that information.”

Nora seems to have lost her appetite as she pushes her plate a few inches away and rests her elbows on the counter. Her head follows, cradled in her hands as she presses the heels of her palms against her eyes.

“I’m really sorry for all of this, you know,” she says softly.

I’m at her side a moment later, a finger tucked gently under her chin as I turn her face up toward me. She swivels her stool so she’s facing me, eyes still clouded with concern.

“I’ll tell you again, little siren, there’s no need to apologize.”

Like I already knew she would, Nora can’t accept that without a fight.

She shakes her head. “But—”

“Will you do something for me?” I ask, ready to combat any lingering guilt she’s feeling.

It’s guilt I can understand, guilt born out of the fact that she’s nowhere near ready to accept me as her mate and likely feels uncomfortable with the inequity in the situation. The hesitance and regret in her eyes says it all.

“When I tell you something, will you believe I’m telling the truth?”

Nora nods. “I already believe you’re telling the truth.”

“Good. And so will you also believe I’m not doing any of this for any other reason than I want to? No expectations. Nothing owed in return.”

She nods again, though a little more slowly this time.

“Alright,” I tell her, leaning in to place a kiss in the center of her forehead. “Then no more apologies.”

Nora leans in to the kiss, then surprises me by wrapping her arms around my waist and laying her cheek against my chest.

“Do you have to work today?” I ask, stroking her hair. “And if you do, is there anyone who can cover your shift, just until we know Sorenson is dealt with?”

She doesn’t ask whatdealt withmeans, and I’m not entirely sure either. Truthfully, there’s little to nothing I can actually do to deal with him right now, short of committing some sort of crime. I have my suspicions and my gut feelings about the situation, but no proof.

As far as anyone knows, he’s here in an official government capacity. He has every right to visit the Bureau, every right to walk down a public street, and as long as he keeps his distance and doesn’t approach Nora, there’s not a damned thing I can think of to do about him being in the area.

Other than to keep Nora safe. To keep her with me. Not that I have any idea if she’ll even allow it.

Nora shakes her head slightly where it’s still resting on my chest. “I’m off until Monday.”

“That makes two of us.”

It’s not exactly the truth. I didn’t have any plans of taking today off, and in my normally hectic life, it’s not at all unusual for me to spend my weekends doing at least a bit of work. But for Nora? Taking some time away from a company I know is well set to take care of itself for a few days is no burden at all.

“Really?” she asks, looking up at me and arching a brow like she can see right through my fib. “And is that something a big, powerful CEO gets to do? Just play hooky from work whenever you want?”

“Yes,” I tell her, leaning in to catch her mouth in a quick kiss. “It is. And I plan to abuse that power fully. What would you like to do today?”

For just a moment, doubt creeps in. Perhaps she’d rather spend the day alone, somewhere else. Perhaps I presume too much.

All that doubt, however, melts away a moment later when Nora’s smile reappears.