Frustrated with my idiot personal assistant, and now having to deal with cops on top of it, I thrust my phone back into my pocket and focused on Nova. “I have to go.”

She wrapped her arms around herself like she was cold and started back toward the car, making sure to keep several feet between us as she passed me. “I heard. I’ll get you back so you can be on your way.”

“That can wait. This is more important.”

She stopped and turned around to face me once again before reaching the car. “Is it?”

“Of course it is. Nova, you are the most important person in my life. Nothing and no one comes before you.” It was crazy that I even had to remind her of that. She knew what she meant to me.

Didn’t she?

She touched the little charm around her neck, her fingers holding it as if it were a lifeline. Seeing that damned thing only made my jealousy rear its head again. I’d wanted to tear Elias apart when he’d put that necklace around her neck. Mom grabbing my arm and reminding me not to spill blood had been the only thing to stop me.

I’d been so pissed, I hadn’t even given her my present yet.

Reaching into my pocket for the gift, I quickly realized it wasn’t there. Shit. Had I dropped it? Then I remembered where it was, and I had to bite back a growl. I’d left it on the jet!

“Tell me the truth Ryan,” Nova commanded in a small yet steady voice. “Was CeCe the reason you didn’t come with the others yesterday?”

“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. “Something came up and—”

“I don’t need to know the details.” Straightening her shoulders, she lifted her chin and met my gaze. But the emptiness that stared back at me sent ice through my veins. “We should hurry. Whatever is going on with CeCe is obviously important.”

“CeCe can wait.”

“She didn’t wait yesterday, and there is no reason to wait now.” She walked around the car and slid into the driver’s seat.

At the bite in her tone, things began to click into place like missing puzzle pieces, and I had to fight back a grin. The fact that she was jealous of my incompetent personal assistant was almost laughable. But I couldn’t figure out why she would be jealous to begin with. I didn’t even remember mentioning CeCe to her.

I got into the passenger seat and leaned my head back, enjoying just watching her for several minutes. She was so beautiful, it was hard to believe she was real at times. Without allowing myself to think about it, I skimmed my fingertips down her cheek, and I was rewarded when she leaned into my touch with a contented little sigh.

But all too quickly, she jerked back, shooting me a glare.

“We will talk about this whole not moving to New York nonsense after I take care of this bullshit at the office,” I informed her. “And since everything is moving up by a year—which I’m happy about, in case you didn’t know that already—then we need to move up everything else as well. I’ll get the architect started on the plans for our house as soon as I land tonight.”