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In unison, Titus and Agnes heave an exasperated sigh.

It’s the first time in twenty-six years I’ve been chastised by a dog.

Rolling my eyes, I grab my utensils and spread the butter on my breakfast. I form meticulous triangles as I cut into the fluffy stack.

The man beside me waits until I take my first bite to tell me, “You have a doctor’s appointment today.”

“What?”

“For your headaches. Victor will take you when you finish your breakfast.”

“I’m leaving the house?—“

“With Victor,” he points out, voice hardening. “I’ll see you at dinner, Ms. Rose. Try to stay out of trouble.”

He’s standing again before I can make sense of everything he dropped in my lap.

I’m leaving the house. For the first time in almost a month. For a doctor’s appointment?

It’s almost frazzling enough to miss the flexing of his muscles as he pushes the chair backunder the table.

From the corner of my eye, I count the indentations of his abs.

Eight.

I bite my lip instead of the pancakes on my fork and embarrassment slithers through me, rightfully dousing the building embers of my fascination.

Not today, Adonis.

Sometimes,I wonder if Victor ever resents his boss for putting him on babysitting duty. Other times, I think anyone willingly working for Adonis deserves what they get.

But that’s torpedoed every time Agnes lays a loving hand on my shoulder or modifies my meals because she knows what textures make my appetite disappear. She’s an angel working for the devil. It’s the only logical explanation.

But the devil was an angel too.

And Victor…

He doesn’t say much but he’s never made me believe he would hurt me. He’s scary, in the way most men who are as tall as they are wide tend to be. But there’s a gentleness about him that won’t let me hate him. Regardless of his chosen employer.

I’m in the backseat of a black SUV while he maneuvers through mid-morning traffic. The truck smells like Adonis even though he left in a blacked-out Mercedes at the same time we did.

How often does he rotate his cars and why does a single man need so many? The house’s detached four-car garage is full and there’s usually one odd car out on the driveway.

We passed the graveyard five minutes ago, turning right out of Adonis’ neighborhood. Greedily, my eyes drink in everything we pass, deprived for so long that every detail catches my attention.

Victor announces, “We’ll be at Dr. Silas’ office in twenty minutes, Ms. Delilah.”

Meeting his kind stare in the rearview mirror, a smile tips up my lips.

“Do you like your job, Victor?”

“Of course,” he answers without hesitation.

“Why do you work for Adonis?” He looks overqualified for any position he could possibly want. And it hurts my brain trying to figure out why Adonis gained his loyalty.

“Mr. Samson took a chance on me when others wouldn’t.”

A solemn hush falls over the truck as he stops at a red light and catches my eye again.