Page 55 of Before the Bond
“She’s still here,” I told him.
"I know,” he said. "I heard her moving around an hour ago. She was checking on Jake just a moment ago.”
Of course she did.
Donovan finally looked at me. I knew that look — not cold, not angry, but careful.
"He’s moved closer,” Donovan said. “Not just the boundary anymore. Bastard’s gutsy, I’ll give him that.”
I nodded. “Stella already affirmed she’ll be here. I haven’t been able to speak to Jake as he’s with Olivia right now, but I’m sure we can arrange something once she’s asleep.”
“Tomas and Maureen are on the lookout. If they see anyone coming up here, they’re to inform us immediately.”
I pressed my fingers against my temples.
When I saw Donovan open his mouth, I shifted my eyes sideways before he could speak. “Donovan —”
"You don't know what I'm going to say."
"Of course I do,” I said. “You’re going to say I need to tell her.”
I broke away from the desk and moved to the bookshelves by the window. The fog was even thicker this afternoon.
"Or,” I continued. “You're going to tell me to end it, cut the contact, and get her safely reassigned before the Voss pack has time to?—"
"I was going to ask if you slept."
I swallowed. I didn’t bother to answer the question.
Donovan clucked his tongue and set his mug down. "But since you brought it up…"
"She knows about wolves," I explained. "I told her everything she needed to know.”
“Needed.”
My jaw tightened. Donovan could always read me too quickly.
I lowered my voice. My hands fumbled with a book I'd pulled from the shelf. I tried to scan through it. Anything to calm my mind.
“It’s enough for now,” I said. “We need to give her more time…”
“You mean you want more time,” Donovan said.
A sharp exhale escaped me. I didn’t want to get irritated. Not this early in the morning, and definitely not because Donovan was right.
"It's enough for now."
“I’m only pressing because I know you,” Donovan said. “Caleb…”
I finally slammed my hand against the wall.
"It's not that simple!”
"Oh, don’t give me that crap,” Donovan hissed. “Do you actually not care about hurting her?"
It wasn't a rhetorical question. That was the thing about Donovan — he asked questions whether you wanted to hear them or not.
"I care about it more than anything else.”
