Page 133 of Velvet Chains

“But later?”

I looked over at Rosie, who was now scolding a bunny for not sitting up straight. “Maybe.”

He exhaled through his nose. “Then I’ll prep. Quietly.”

My throat tightened. “Thank you.”

Another long pause.

Then: “Is he still hovering?”

I knew who he meant. “No.”

Julian nodded slowly. “He shouldn’t be around her, Ruby. I know I’ve said it before—”

“You’ve said it,” I cut him off. “And I’m handling it.”

“I hope so,” he said. His eyes found Rosie again, his brow furrowing, and he looked…God, he looked so sad. “She’s everything.”

I nodded. “I know.”

He looked at me a second longer, then stepped back and grabbed his coat. “Call if you need anything. Seriously. I’m around, and I have junior attorneys for a reason. Got it?”

“Yes. I got it.”

He kissed Rosie’s head on his way out. “Be good, tesoro.”

“Bye Daddy!” she chirped. “Tell Valerie I like her hair.”

When the door closed behind him, I stood there for a long time, watching the frost creep up the edge of the window again.

Rosie climbed into my lap, her blanket dragging behind her. “Can we make a fort today?”

“Yeah, baby,” I whispered. “We can make a fort.”

Because I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.

But I knew I had today.

And I wasn’t going to waste a second of it.

Chapter Thirty-Two: Kieran

Iwatched the house from a half-block away, tucked into the shadows of an abandoned storefront with my collar turned up and my pulse so steady it scared me. It was early—still dark enough that the streetlights hadn’t turned off, but not so early that it looked suspicious for a man to sit in a car with the engine running. I didn’t touch the coffee in the cupholder. I wasn’t here to drink.

At 7:03 a.m., a black SUV pulled into Ruby’s driveway. Julian. Rosie hopped out of the backseat, backpack slung over one shoulder, hair in two crooked braids. She was holding the old little bunny she had come looking for the day I’d realized she was my daughter. Carty.

Ruby didn’t come to the door. I noticed that Julian punched in a code and I cursed myself for not being able to see what it was. It made sense that she had more security now. God, I hated his smug face, and how he looked like he had a spare cardigan in his car.

She was locking the door now. Checking it twice.

Good.

She was scared.

But she wasn’t scared enough.

At 7:07, a gray sedan slowed two houses down. It didn’t stop…just idled past. I memorized the plate without blinking. Out-of-state. Not one of ours. Not FBI either, unless they were deliberately sloppy. Either way, Ruby was being watched. Again. Maybe still. Something about that sent a chill down my spine. Who else was trailing her? Why were they trailing her? Whatever the reason, it couldn’t be fucking good.