Page 97 of Discretion at Its Finest

This Reid was closed off and stoic, staring at me emotionlessly instead of through me like he always did.

I forced air into my lungs. “I—I needed to see you.”

His jaw flexed once in annoyance, a subtle tell he could never hide from me. “Genevieve.” He said my name like a warning. “This isn’t a place you belong.”

“Neither do you,” I shot back just as quickly.

He sighed. “Don’t start.”

“Reid, you know I was worried about you.”

His jaw clenched. “I’m fine.”

“You’re in prison.”

“I’m aware of that fact.”

I sighed at his words, pressing further despite him clearly not wanting to hear me. “How long… how long will you be here?”

He leaned back slightly, gaze flicking downward before returning to mine. “A while.” His tone didn’t hold any fight, any pushback; it was just accepting, like he’d already made peace with being put away for God knows how long.

“Are they treating you okay?” I whispered, my hand twitching in my lap. “Did they tell you anything else? Are you—”

“Vieve,” he muttered into the phone, cutting my rambling short. “Don’t. I don’t want you to worry about me.”

“How am I not supposed to?” I asked, my voice coming out raw, cracking on the end as tears filled my eyes. It felt like the room was closing in almost. My throat closed, heat rushing to my face, and before I could stop it, another tiny cry escaped. I pressed my free hand to my mouth, trying to catch it, trying to keep it in, but it only made the tears spill faster.

I cried in a way I didn’t want him to see. Like I did every night crying myself to sleep next to my fiancé.

His fingers tightened around the phone. His eyes dropped to my trembling hand, then dragged slowly back up to my face… and whatever mask he’d tried to wear slowly fell apart.

“…Genevieve.” I shook my head, wiping my tears as they never stopped. “Vieve, look at me.”

I lifted my gaze slowly, tears clinging to my lashes, my chest rising and falling in unsteady little breaths.

He leaned just a little closer to the glass, arms resting on the table, dropping his voice low enough so it was just for me to hear.

“I’m right here, baby,” he murmured. “You hear me? I’m okay.”

My breath shuddered. “I’m scared, Reid.”

“I know,” he whispered, eyes softening in spite of himself. “But you’re okay. Just breathe.”

My fingers curled tighter around the phone. “I don’t—I feel like I’m losing you again.”

Something shifted in his expression, and then he exhaled slowly through his nose, anchoring himself. “You won’t,” he said quietly.

It was a half-truth, a promise he wasn’t sure he could keep in his predicament. But it was all he could give me.

“I know I shouldn’t worry,” I whispered, wiping under my eye with the heel of my hand, trying to keep my voice from breaking. “Cara’s been worried about us. Eugene’s been clingy lately. He keeps asking when you’re coming back and—” I cut myself off, breath shaking. Reid didn’t look away, listening to every word. “He misses you too, you know.”

His fingers tightened the smallest amount around the phone, watching me with that unreadable expression.

“He had his soccer game yesterday. He wanted you there, I’m sure. He scored a goal,” I whispered after a shaky inhale. “He was trying so hard. All that running and falling over chasing the ball helped it roll in one way or another.”

That earned me the smallest smile from across the glass, my heart swelling at the sight of it.

“I told you he gets his stubbornness from you,” he muttered, and I rolled my eyes at his antics, a small smile gracing my lips as I unintentionally leaned into the phone. “I miss him,” he continued quietly. “More than I want to admit in here.” He didn’t sayI miss you, but I heard it anyway through my delusion.