Only he didn’t really love her. How could he when he didn’t know her? He fell in love with the lycan. A wild creature of instinct. Not Claire.

She waited until his breathing grew even and slow, certain he slept. Cautiously, she crept from the bed, freezing when a spring squeaked. She glanced at his profile. God, he was beautiful.

When he didn’t stir, she gathered her clothes and left, slipping silently from the house and vanishing into the moonlit night.

“Cooper,” Gideon greeted, halting his flight down the stairs as he spotted his friend kicked back in his recliner eating the last of his Pringles.

“You’re out of Cheetos,” Cooper complained.

Gideon glared at him and forced himself to stroll into the living room like nothing was wrong. Like Claire hadn’t crept off in the middle of the night. Like he hadn’t woken up to a cold, empty bed. “I haven’t been to the store lately.”

Cooper’s gaze narrowed as he eyed Gideon. “You look like hell.”

Gideon snorted and plucked the can of Pringles from Cooper’s hands. “It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours yet. You could have waited a little longer before dropping by.”

Biting into a chip, Gideon dropped down on the couch and tried to pretend as if nothing was wrong, that he wasn’t suffering, that Claire’s leaving didn’t hurt. That he wasn’t dying inside.

“I suppose wiping out half a pack of lycans in a single evening might zap your strength.”

Gideon stuck another chip in his mouth, shrugging. “I had some help.”

“Yeah, your lycan buddies.”

“Claire’s not a lycan.” Gideon was quick to interject.

“Yeah, not anymore.” Cooper glanced around the living room. “So, where is the woman of the hour?”

Again, Gideon shrugged, forcing his eyes to the television. He didn’t want Cooper to glimpse any of the torment that simple question elicited.

“You don’t know?” Cooper scratched his head. “After everything you did for her, I thought you two would be setting up house, picking out tea towels, china patterns. That’s actually what brought me here.” Cooper leaned forward in his chair. “You know NODEAL doesn’t allow married agents. No live-in girlfriends. Emotional entanglements can jeopardize security. So let’s clear the air now.” Cooper paused, his look grave. “How serious are you about her?”

Gideon looked at Cooper blankly, wondering what he would think if he knew Claire had left him already. Instead of directly answering, he said, “I didn’t really think staying an agent was an option. Didn’t you fire me?”

Cooper shook his head as if it had all been a misunderstanding. “If you want back in just say the word.”

Gideon mulled over Cooper’s words before saying, “No. I’m finished.”

Cooper leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Mind telling why?”