Page 127 of A Convenient Secret

“But you shouldn’t go there with your nanny.”

“Do you want me to invite Margot?” I tease.

Lily huffs. “Don’t you dare.”

I laugh. Fuck, it’s refreshing to laugh in the morning.

“I have to go drop the kids, Declan, but we need to talk about us before we do these public appearances.”

“And we will. It’s not like I’m going to announce that you’re my wife. I’ll just sit beside you through some boring speeches.” I lean in, relishing the shiver that rakes through her. “Maybe finger-fuck you under the table.”

She moans. “Maybe we can ask Saar if the twins can have a sleepover tonight, so we can talk?”

“If there are no kids to interrupt us, I have better ideas than talking.”

“Declan,” she warns, glaring at me.

“I was expecting a more enthusiastic reaction. But okay, let’s see if Saar risks traumatizing her precious pets and takes on the kids. Maybe we can take them for an early supper and then drop them off.”

“Good, I’ll arrange it with her. We will talk first, though.”

Something definitely feels off. She brings sunshine into every day and every conversation, but right now she seems on edge.

Is she going to try to delay our announcement? Does she want to continue the secret? “Are you okay?”

She closes her eyes briefly. “I need to tellyou who I am.”

Finally. It cost me a lot of effort to stay away from sleuthing her past. On some level, I needed her to tell me. To trust me enough.

She finally trusts me enough. Something grows in my chest. But I hesitate when I see her tortured expression.

“I don’t care who you were, Lily. I know who you are now, to me, to my kids. That’s what matters.”

She smiles; it’s a shy smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Okay, we will talk tonight and turn a new page.”

“We’ve been waiting fow ages,” Zoya calls from the entrance.

“Both candidates look good on paper. I was impressed by both of them.” Corm rounds his desk and joins the rest of us in his seating area.

My eyes land on the oversized photograph of Saar, and I realize I don’t find it ridiculous. I would plaster my entire office with images of Lily.

She is one of a kind.

She is mine.

The worry in her eyes this morning gutted me. I don’t want her to have secrets, and I fear I won’t understand. It’s not like she’s a murderer. Is she?

Fuck, I should have pushed sooner. At this point,I’m so far gone with this woman she could be a visitor from outer space and I would just shrug.

“Okay, I’m going to be the asshole who says it, but I think we should hire the guy.” Xander clicks his pen, grating on my nerves.

“On account of being equally qualified as Ms. Drake, the female candidate?” If looks could kill, Roxy would be arrested for murder now.

Xander doesn’t even flinch. “Unfortunately, yes. I don’t like it, but it’s the reality.”

“You make me sick.” She stands up. “I don’t mind working in a boy’s club. I can laugh off a lot of yourinnocentcomments because I’m snarky and sarcastic myself, and I take it all as team banter. Never have I felt like just a woman among you. But I don’t want to listen to this conversation. You disappoint me.” She reaches the door.

“Don’t be dramatic, Roxy. Please sit down,” Corm says, his tone almost gentle but the demand behind it undeniable.