Page 109 of The Surrender

He huffs and reaches across for my bag, and I watch in astonishment as he helps himself, rummaging through and pulling it out. “What’s your code?”

“I’m not telling you my fucking code, Jude.” I try to swipe it back, but he’s too fast for me. “Tell me what the hell you’re doing. What are you trying to prove?”

“There are nearly ten million people in London, Amelia. Thousands of pubs. I find it really fucking hard to believe your ex would just happen to turn up in the pub we’re having dinner in.” He turns dark eyes my way as I push back in my seat, not liking what he’s suggesting. “What’s your code?”

“My birthday,” I say quietly.

Jude opens my phone and splits his attention between the road and his working thumbs, and when I see his jaw tighten further, I know what’s coming. “He’s fucking tracking you.”

I stare at Jude’s profile, speechless, my head bending, my stomach turning.

“Does Nick know your PIN?”

I swallow and nod when Jude looks at me for an answer, my reality falling heavily.

“And when might he have had the opportunity to access your phone?”

I sink into my seat, dread cloaking me. “Today.” I can feel Jude’s questioning eyes turn onto me as he pulls up at a red light. It can’t have been before today; otherwise Nick would have undoubtedly turned up at Arlington Hall any of the times I was there. “I left my phone on my desk when I went to get a coffee. Nick was in my office when I got back.” I can’t look at Jude, can’t face the rage I know is there. And there will be more to come.

“What was he doing at your work?”

“He was interviewing for a position.” I sound as nervous as I feel.

Jude laughs, and it is full of disbelief. “And you didn’t think to mention that?”

“No, actually, I didn’t.” I brave facing him. “Are you going to tell me what the fuck happened back there?”

Jude’s jaw twitches with the force of his gritted teeth.

“I’ll take that as a no.” I unclip my seat belt and take the handle to get out but get precisely nowhere.

“Forget it.” Jude reaches across me, yanks the door closed, and reclips my belt before pulling away from the lights fast. He places my phone in my lap. “You need to stop sharing your location.”

My fingers are already working the screen before he’s finished, and I throw the phone back into my bag, propping my elbow on the window and staring out, the atmosphere excruciating. My question unanswered.

When Jude pulls up outside Arlington Hall, he gets out and rounds the car, opening the door for me. How very gentlemanly of him. And ridiculous. He still looks fucking livid, and I know I feel it.

I amnotgoing into Arlington Hall until he talks. “What happened in the pub?” I demand, my voice strong.

“What happened?” Jude laughs with no amusement whatsoever.

“You couldn’t have gotten me out of there faster.”

“Your ex showed up. Of course I left. I can think of a million things I want to do with you, Amelia, and dining with your ex isn’t one of them. I left because I was afraid of what I’d do if I didn’t.”

“What, like hit him?” Why am I asking that? This is Jude Harrison. Of course he wants to hit Nick.

“He tracked you to a bar, Amelia. He hijackedmydinner withmygirlfriend, and you’re wondering why I’m fucking fuming?”

“That was a lot of possessive determiners,” I snap like an absolute idiot, snatching my bag from his hand and stomping into Arlington Hall. Am I being paranoid? Overthinking? After all, Nick’s the fucking snake in this situation. I can’t believe he intended on tracking me. What the hell is with that? And what was Nick going to say?

“Oh, well, there’s a surprise,” Jude murmurs as he follows me, forcing my feet to a stop halfway up the stairs. “She’s not trying to leave.”

Swinging around, I nail him with an incensed glare. “That can be arranged.”

Two palms rise in surrender, his inhale long. “I’m sorry.”

His apology lacks any sincerity, pissing me off more. “Maybe Ishouldgo.” I take one step back down the stairs and meet his chest, and I’m over his shoulder before I can eventhinkto protest.