Page 73 of Pervade Montego Bay

Painful, loving memories filled each room in this house. It was impossible to even imagine a future here without her.

But seeing Xavier and Emily happy together made me remember what a true romance could be like.

I tried to suppress this feeling of uncertainty that threatened the plans I’d made.

I hadn’t been able to hold on to Victoria…or protect her. I’d not been there when she’d needed me the most. With that truth burning a hole in my heart, I placed the silver frame back in the drawer and closed it.

I turned around to see Emily standing in the doorway.

The brief annoyance I felt at this invasion into my personal space lifted when I took in her beauty. She was still barefoot, wearing my T-shirt, her damp hair curling around her face.

A few steps in her direction and I’d closed the gap between us. “Everything okay?” Not waiting for the answer, I eased past her into the hall and started to walk away.

“Did I do something wrong?” she called after me.

“No,” I said, pausing with my back to her. “Everything’s fine.”

“Doesn’t feel fine.”

I turned to look at her. “I’m happy to see you and Xavier getting on so well.”

“I wanted to talk to you about that.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Em.” I made a gesture to reassure her. “You two are great together.”

“We have your approval?”

Running my hand over my five o’clock shadow, I gave her a nod. “Yes, of course.”

She breathed a sigh of relief.

What was I to say? That keeping them apart in London had been a mistake? I’d done what I’d believed was best for national security. For Xavier. Even though I knew what she meant to him. I’d seen the benefit of her in his life.

Shit. Benefit?I was even shocked by my own coldness sometimes.

“I have some work to do.” I descended the staircase and headed for my office.

I’d reasoned that my liberation from this agonizing grief would happen when I finally caught up with Ivor Mikhail—as though that act alone could set me free. Revenge had been mine and it had been as terrible as it was satisfying.

Emily had witnessed me in the act of destroying my last enemy, when I’d thrown Ivor over the side of the yacht to drown him in the Thames. Afterward, we’d ensured there was no political scandal. Emily had witnessed my devious side firsthand—no doubt troubling even though it had been for the sake of Queen and country.

It was a mystery to me why she followed me downstairs and into my office. She should want to put thousands of miles between us.

“Emily, what do you want?” I asked.

“Just checking on you.”

I wanted to lean in and kiss her…taste her lips and know her again like I once had, intimately and reverently.

“Go play outside.” I pointed to the door.

“I’m not five.”

I glanced at my watch as a hint that I was busy.

She crossed her arms and stared at me. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”