Chapter 14

A car drew up to the kerb.

Sebastian Calloway stepped out. Black coat, unhurried. He walked straight to Eliana and settled his arm around her shoulders in one easy motion.

"I'm sorry I'm late." He said it to her with a small private warmth, then raised his eyes to Adrian. They were perfectly neutral.

"I believe you're the ex-husband. Please don't handle my wife in the street."

Eliana felt the warmth of his arm against her back and her heartbeat went wrong, briefly, before she got it under control. He smelled faintly of sandalwood and she wasn't prepared for how grounding it was.

She collected herself.

"This is my —" The word came out strange in her mouth. "My husband. We're happy, and I'd appreciate it if you'd leave us alone."

Adrian stared at Sebastian.

"You've known her for months." His voice was fraying at the edges. "You can't —"

"I can't what?" Sebastian's tone was pleasant. Absolutely unmoved. "Marry her? I did."

"She handed me that bouquet at her first wedding because the nearest person happened to be me. Those are her words. And now she's done it again, is that it — married the nearest available man —"

He said it with a laugh that was meant to sound dismissive and came out broken.

Eliana's arm came up.

The slap was sharp. Her eyes were wet.

Adrian went white.

"That's not —" he started. "I didn't mean —"

"We're leaving," Sebastian said, and opened the car door for her.

He stood by the door as she got in, then turned back and placed a business card in Adrian's hand.

"You'll be hearing from our legal team. Every incident involving my wife that took place while she was married to you is going to be reviewed. It'll be useful for you to know who you're dealing with."

Adrian stared at the card.

"I don't need your card."

"You will," Sebastian said, "when the letters arrive."

He got in the car.

Once they were out of sight, Eliana pressed her forehead against the window and let out a breath that felt like it had been compressed for a very long time.

"I'm sorry," she said. "You had a meeting this afternoon."

"Nearby," he said simply. "Not difficult to reroute."

She turned that over.

He'd cancelled a meeting to come and stand on a pavement in Edinburgh because he'd heard Adrian's voice through her earpiece and driven to her instead.

She kept her eyes on the road.

Don't get distracted. She knew the rule she'd made for herself. She had things to finish first.

"Eliana."

She didn't turn.

"You're allowed to have help," he said. "That's what I'm here for."

She closed her eyes and said nothing.