“Yeah, one we probably should have had. It could have started with you knocking on my door and introducing yourself as my bodyguard, bought and paid for.”

“Your brother didn’t want you to know,” he replied carefully, as though thinking through his every word. “He thought you would be upset.”

“He was right. I’m upset. I’m upset that you lied to me.”

He leaned in, his voice going soft. “I did not lie to you and the relationship between the two of us had nothing to do with the job. Absolutely nothing.”

“That’s ridiculous. First of all, why would my brother not tell me?” She frowned because she knew exactly why. She’d told him to stay out of her business. She’d kind of yelled it at him.

“Because he knows how reckless you can be,” Remy replied. “Because he knows how scared you can be when someone else is in control of you. Someone you don’t trust.”

Now it was her turn to go still. Why would he say that? “What do you mean?”

He couldn’t know about that. She hadn’t told him. She never told anyone about what happened that night. No one except her siblings. She hadn’t meant to tell them, but one night she’d woken up screaming and she hadn’t been able to hold back. No one should know how weak she’d been.

Remy reached out, covering her hand with his, and for a moment she wanted so badly to turn her hand over and tangle their fingers together. She wanted to ask him to climb into this stupid hospital bed with her and hold her for the rest of the night. Maybe it was all a bad dream and she would wake up and none of today would have happened. She would hold on to him and tell him about her dream and he would laugh and tell her she was silly because he wouldn’t lie to her and he would never, ever really leave without her because the truth was she was his home now.

Instead she stared at him because she knew she was awake and this was real.

His hand was warm on hers. “Chèrie, you don’t have to worry. I fucked up tonight. I let you out of my sights. I’m not going to do it again. And you are in charge. I have to work when we get home, but I promise I’ll do everything I can to accommodate you. You’re not locked away. No one will ever do that to you again. Ever.”

She pulled her hand away. “He had no right to tell you. That was private.”