Page 171 of Symphony for Lies

The relief that had nearly drowned me seconds prior vanished in an instant, sucked into a void of ice and fury.

My jaw clenched so tight it ached. My fingers flexed against her skin, fighting the vicious possessiveness tearing through my veins.

She was thinking about him! She was thinking about the fucking case!

She’d just woken up. Just barely crawled back from the edge of death. And that was what she cared about?

“Please,” she whispered, her voice fragile.

“No.”

Her breath hitched.

She knew. She knew I wasn’t just joking.

I leaned in close, my face mere inches from hers. I didn’t let my fury bleed into my words, but my control was slipping. “I won’t let you put yourself in danger again.”

Her trembling fingers pressed against my chest. A pathetic, useless attempt to push me away.“Zane…”

I shook my head.

Amelia still didn’t understand.

She tried to sit up, but I caught her instantly, forcing her back down before she could struggle. “Amelia, don’t.”

Clutching at her stomach, she sucked in a sharp, pained breath, and something inside me snapped.

Fuck.

Red-hot fury detonated in my chest, a violent storm of rage and helplessness.“Damn it!” I pinned her to the bed, my hands on her shoulders.“You’re still fucking injured! You can’t move!”

Her lips trembled, but I didn’t release her. I refused to.

I leaned in close until our noses brushed. She had no choice but to see me, to feel how fucking desperate I was.“Your only job is to get better.”

Her eyes locked onto mine. I knew exactly what she was thinking. She wanted to throw herself back into the chaos and danger like she always did. I wouldn’t let her.

“Zane, this is important—”

“No. You’re important, dammit!” Burning tears spilled over, dripping onto her cheek.

She stilled beneath my touch.

“I don’t care. I don’t care about any of it. None of it matters. Nothing but you. So, please… no more talk about this case.”

I couldn’t hear about it anymore.

Not the details about the case. Not the names of the people who tried to destroy her. Not the danger she seemed so damn willing to throw herself back into.

For once, for just one goddamn moment, I needed her to just be mine. I needed to hold her without the weight of the world pressing down on us.

Moisture welled in her exhausted, beautiful eyes.Her finger brushed against my cheek, wiping away the tears I hadn’t even realized were still falling.

Her touch was so soft. So careful.

But her gaze was still so damn determined.

“Zane… Rita. She’s the killer. Mr. Watson… he was just her accomplice. And not just him.” She swallowed hard. “Jeffrey. The janitor at our clinic.”