Read Online His To Keep by Stephanie Julian - Free Book Online Page B

in—”
    “No. No way. I’m not telling her. You know she’d tell Dad and with his heart condition, there’s no way I want him worrying about this.”
    “Yeah, but, Nic, come on. Mom’s good at this stuff. And you know how pissed she’s going to be when she finds out you hid this from her. And then she might cry.”
    Nic winced at the thought. He’d only ever seen his mother cry once—when she’d walked into his hospital room in Germany, where they’d airlifted him to from Afghanistan. “Damn it, don’t try to guilt me into anything. You know I can’t tell Mom.”
    “Then what are you gonna do?”
    “Hell if I know.”
    * * * * *
    Standing in the hallway outside Nic’s office, Annie heard Nic click off the phone and toss it onto his desk.
    She felt like a cat in a yard, unable to move for fear of being caught by the sleeping dog, knowing if she moved, he’d hear her and pounce.
    She hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. She’d been on her way to Grace’s office to drop of those piece of mail Grace had to deal with  personally.
    There was no sound at all coming from Nic’s office now, no shuffling papers, no scratching pen.
    He was thinking about that phone call, the one he’d told Jimmy about. Someone had frightened Nic. And that said a lot. She’d always believed nothing scared Nic. The man never flinched, never showed fear of any kind. Even shot and bleeding, he’d been able to drag his fatally wounded cousin out of a firefight and into a truck.
    And now he was worried about a phone call? It didn’t make sense.
    A chair creaked and Annie drew in a startled gasp. A second later, Nic stuck his head out into the hallway. His expression couldn’t have been less friendly.
    “What the hell are you doing out here? How long have you been standing there?”
    She stiffened at his tone. “Don’t you swear at me, Dominic. I work here, too, you know. I was on my way to your mother’s office.” She held up the mail. “Why? What’s going on? What’s got you so worked up?”
    Nic’s blue eyes blazed like they’d been electrified.
    “I never figured you for an eavesdropper, Andrea.”
    A blush heated her cheeks and she lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I know it was a horrible breach of ethics on my part, but I couldn’t help it. Your door was open and I could hear you plain as day.” She hesitated then forced herself to go on, locking onto his gaze. “Are you in trouble?”
    For the first time since she could remember, his eyes betrayed him even as his expression went blank.
    “It’s nothing to worry about. Everything’s fine.”
    Hot anger burned in her stomach at his deliberately cold words. “Oh no, you don’t,” she surprised herself by saying. “You are not going to get away with that blank act this time. What’s going on?”
    “Nothing.” He turned to face her, leaning back on the edge of his desk, arms crossed on his chest. “It’s not your concern. Just drop it.”
    She drew in a sharp breath. Not her concern. A not-so-subtle reminder he still considered her an outsider.
    Her jaw locked in place and her eyes burned with imminent tears, which she refused to ever let him see.
    “You’re right.” She forced a brittle smile. “No problem. I’m so glad you finally told me how you really feel.”
    Turning on her heel, Annie strode down the hall before she could say the vicious words springing to her tongue, knowing she was hurt and would regret them later. She reached for her coat on the stand by the door and snagged it, uncaring that the stand wobbled drunkenly, nearly clipping her head.
    Would she never learn?
    The roar in her ears intensified as she grabbed the front door, ready to make her escape. She opened the door—and found herself spun around to face Nic, his fingers holding her firmly by the forearms.
    “You don’t have a clue, do you?” he ground out. “How the hell could you possibly not know what I think about you?”
    She wanted to kick him in the shins