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I only wished I could do something for her. No child should have to deal with this.

Lux’s gaze on me had me freezing.

“Did she hurt you?” she asked, her hand reaching out for me. My heart skipped a beat in my chest, and I quickly stood up, unable to bear her touch.

My face was already flushing, my skin hot, butterflies unleashing in my belly.

It’s like I’m a goddamn virgin with a crush, even though she railed me within an inch of my life not long ago.

“No,” I said quickly. “You got here just in time. Thanks.”

She stood up too and reached for me again, like she couldn’t stop herself. “I was already on the way, but when I saw your message, I?—"

Gina cleared her throat.

“Lemonade?”

“Yes, please,” I said with a sigh, taking the exit. “Bella, do you want some quiet time? Maybe some food? We could play games or…?”

She pressed her lips into a thin line before shyly looking up at us.

“I think I want some playtime outside, if that’s okay.”

I looked at Lux, who nodded.

“Go on.”

Bella ran off without another word, still not her usual self but steadier than a few moments prior. When she was far enough away, Lux appeared by my side.

“A word in my office?”

I looked at Gina, who was already locking eyes with me.

“I got it,” she said. “You two go.”

Nodding, I followed Lux, but she walked right past her office and into… her room .

I paused as she silently opened the door and waited for me to make the decision to walk inside.

I’m her direct employee now. It would be highly inappropriate for me to enter her bedroom.

But my feet were already moving. She slipped in behind me, closing the door with a soft click.

My back was to her front as she inched closer. Her hands never touched me, but they hovered by my sides, her fingertips close enough that I could feel the electric current working between us. Her hot breath fanned against my neck, and I cursed myself for wearing my hair up.

“I’ve never been so angry in my life,” she muttered.

I took a deep breath in, inhaling her scent.

I was starting to get lightheaded just remembering the last time we were in a bed together.

My mind screamed danger, but I couldn’t move.

“She’s awful,” I admitted. “Poor Bella. She was really affected.”

“I mean about you,” she said. “I’ve never wanted to protect someone so badly.”

The unspoken besides Bella was there, but I couldn’t bring myself to be snarky enough to add it. Or to joke about how much she loved me.

Because I was starting to get the distinct feeling that she truly did have feelings for me. And I knew for a fact, especially after what just happened, that I did too.

But I couldn’t let it happen. I couldn’t jeopardize this. I needed to be smart.

And fucking my boss was definitely not smart.

“You shouldn’t say those things,” I murmured and slowly turned to face her. My eyes traveled up from her chest to her eyes, and my breath caught.

I don’t think anyone ever looked at me with such longing. Her eyebrows were pushed together, her lips in a slight frown, the need for me clear in her eyes.

She was begging me. Silently pleading for me to close the space between us.

But it wasn’t entirely sexual. She looked like she needed a hug again. But this time I was afraid of what it would open us up to.

“I can’t help it,” she said. “You’ve been running rampant in my head.

Every night I lie down and close my eyes, I see you.

I see you in everything I do. In the blue flowers on my way to work that almost perfectly match your eyes.

Every time I catch just a glimpse of a color you wear, I’m immediately checking if it’s you.

Even your laugh seems to haunt me, always playing in my mind.

I can’t sleep without you haunting my dreams. I can still smell you on my sheets, and I can’t bring myself to wash them because of just how much I need to feel like you’re close to me.

I can’t get you out of my mind, Juliette. ”

The last came out as more of a complaint than a compliment.

“Sorry to inconvenience you.” I tried to look away, but her fingers found my chin and forced me to look up at her. The need in her eyes was only intensifying.

“That’s the thing, I don’t want to get you out of my mind.

I want to hear you laugh all the time. Twenty-four-seven.

I want to wake up to you and Bella chatting together in the kitchen.

I love leaving work to come home to both of you.

Do you understand I haven’t looked forward to something in years?

I don’t even remember the last time I was actually excited about something, but you’ve changed that.

I’m ecstatic to get home. I can’t wait. Because you’re here waiting for me. ”

I swallowed the knot in my throat.

“I want you in my life, Juliette. In my arms. In my bed. I need you in every way you’re willing to give yourself to me. I can’t pretend anymore.”

There was no lie. No joking. Her face was telling me everything I needed to know. Everything I’d ever wanted to hear, she was serving it to me on a silver platter.

“And if I don’t want to give myself to you? Just keep it professional?”

Her jaw tightened, and her hand dropped.

“If you can look me in the eyes and tell me that’s what you want, then I’ll leave you alone. But you can’t lie to me, Juliette.”

Looking into her eyes now, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get the words out.

“I need this job,” I whispered, hoping she could see everything else I wanted to say but couldn’t.

“And you’ll have it,” she said. “No matter how long you need it for. Whatever happens between us won’t change that.”

I tried to look down, but she forced my head back up, this time using both hands to cup my face gently as if I were going to break.

“Look at me. Tell me, Angel. Tell me I’m the only one feeling this way. Tell me you don’t look forward to seeing me every morning. That you don’t wish you were in bed with me every night. Tell me you’ve never thought about how good we’d be together.”

It’s so wrong. And so dangerous.

But she was right.

Every night when I went to bed, I thought about sneaking into her room. Every time I saw her in the morning, I longed to walk right into her arms.

“I can’t ,” I whispered. “I can’t say any of those things, Lux.”

Her eyes flashed.

“Your move, Angel. Tell me what you want to do about it.”

“I—”

A knock at the door had us freezing.

“Juliette, you left your phone in the kitchen. Your brother called you like three times. I think it’s urgent.” Gina’s voice sounded worried.

I paused, my eyes locking with Lux’s. My brother never called me, and given what happened last time, it was even more unlikely that he was reaching out just to chat.

“A rain check, then,” she said and sidestepped so I could force my unstable legs to carry me to the door and open it, quickly taking my phone from Gina.

My heart dropped when I saw the message.

Lucas

Aunt Kath had a heart attack. In the hospital now.