Page 9 of Oathbreaker

He’s not wrong.

However, I also know that Lily is flying out tomorrow.

And that he’s right—he and Lily don’t get enough time together as it is.

“True,” I say as we walk.

But I don’t get more than that out because he’s drawing me to a halt, reaching out his free, and turning my face up to his.

He swipes his thumb beneath each of my eyes. “You’re tired.”

I shrug, try to make light of what last night was and what it meant…and what it turned into, even though Atlas doesn’t know it yet.

“Too many Gamebreakers and too late of a night for this mama.” I start forward again. “I’m better when I’m in bed by nine with the latest serial killer documentary.”

And not tending the wounds of the man I fell in love with as a teenager who mysteriously reappeared from the dead.

Thankfully, my reply has the intended effect, and he chuckles.

We’ve made it into the office and my lips twitch when I see I called it. His suit jacket is hanging on the back of his chair…and all the monitors are on with the team working from multiple locations around the world.

I unloop my arm, move to the chair, and snag the coat.

Then as much as I want to take him up on his offer of finishing this shit sooner so I can finish dealing with my shit, I move back to him and snag his arm again, shove the coat into his arms. “Go home to Lily. Soak in your time with her while I handle this.”

He starts shaking his head, but I see how torn he is, know I’ll be able to nudge him back to his woman. “You need to get back to Frankie, too. I’ll stay.”

Now it’s my turn to scowl. “Royal and Jade have her. I’m sure they’ll be happy to keep her overnight too.” I pull out my cell, intending to ask them to do just that. “And if not, Dash and Willow have been asking for Frankie time.”

He exhales, considering. “Are you sure?” he asks.

“Well, if it goes really long, I may ask you for Monday off and I know how much you hate Mondays.”

“Thorny,” he warns.

Which reminds me of Colt, of the slightly raspy way he teased me with the nickname.

I shove that down, focus.

Both because I don’t need Atlas to know something this big is up, and also because…because at some point, I’ll need to get back to Colt, so I need to get this shit done.

“Go,” I order, shooing him out the door, walking him back to the elevator, making sure he doesn’t change his mind on the journey.

He’s stubborn, this man.

And he’s protective.

And he would put me first in an instant—not that I’m going to let him.

The elevator door opens with a ding, and he steps on. “Don’t forget to call West. Maybe he can bring you dinner here if you’re still working and you guys miss your reservation.”

Reservation.

Dinner.

West.

I still, horror slicing through me as I remember.