Page 20 of Unlocked

She blinked. She wasn't used to this level of attention, this kind of careful solicitude.

"I'm fine," she said.

"Good." Rush nodded. "Remember, hit the button if you feel scared or uncomfortable at any time. One of us will be here immediately. And Ryker's right," he added. "Pick up the phone and hit number one if you want food or drink. Direct line to the kitchen. I believe Chef Pierre made his famous meringue for dessert tonight. I highly recommend you indulge."

"I'm going to indulge," Ryker said, patting his stomach. "Haven't had one of those meringues in ages."

"They're worth the splurge," Rush agreed. "Just make sure you grab one for Vic. She'll kill you if you have one without her." He grinned.

Ryker laughed. "It's true."

They both turned to Tatum. "Anything else we can get for you?"

She genuinely couldn't think of a single thing. "No. This is great. Thank you."

They nodded, businesslike again. Ryker set the key fob on the counter, and the pair of them disappeared through the door.

Tatum stood there, alone at last, and slowly took in the room. It really was a master class in design. Beautiful without being cold, elegant without feeling staged. Everything was arranged to make her feel at home. Cozy. Grounded. Even with the entire end wall made of glass overlooking the river, the space somehow still felt contained. Safe.

She let out a long breath and rubbed her face. This was not how she'd imagined her day ending.

Her stomach growled. She blinked in surprise. She hadn't eaten much earlier, too busy, too distracted, and then there had been the gala and the break-in and the adrenaline, and now, of all times, her body had decided it was hungry. Apparently, nobody had told her stomach about the evening's events.

She knew there was probably a bar somewhere. A glass of wine sounded tempting. So did real food, not junk, something solid, like a plate of pasta.

She turned toward what she assumed was the bedroom. The door stood open, and she walked through.

Stunning. Again. The bed was layered with crisp white linens and soft throws, the lighting low and warm. Calm. Intentional. She dropped her overnight bag on the bed, then returned to the kitchen. She would check out the bathroom later, but already knew it would be just as lavish and as well-thought-out as the rest of the apartment.

Opening the fridge, she stared at the abundance inside. Fresh produce. Fruit. Prepared dishes. They hadn't been exaggerating. It really was fully stocked. She closed the door again, suddenly too tired to think about cooking. Maybe they were right. Maybe she just needed a meringue and a cup of tea. Then sleep.

She walked toward the phone, but her steps stuttered as a knock sounded at the door.

Her heart slammed against her ribs. Get a grip. She shook her head in disgust. She was inside the Lock and Key Society, surrounded by security. Nothing could touch her here.

Still, she exhaled slowly before moving to the door. She glanced through the peephole and found Archer standing there.

"Archer?" Surprise edged her voice as she opened it. "Did you need something?"

He stepped inside. "I thought you might be hungry." Behind him, one of the restaurant waiters pushed a large cart into the apartment. Archer gestured toward the dining table in the corner, and the waiter went to work unloading dishes, spreading a tablecloth, and setting out gold-rimmed plates with quiet efficiency.

"What is all this?" Tatum asked, genuinely perplexed.

"Nothing like indulging in something life-affirming," Archer said evenly. "After a night like yours, people usually do."

She studied him. "And eating is one of the options?"

"Yes."

"What are the others?"

One corner of his mouth lifted. His eyebrow arched just slightly.

It took a beat. Then the meaning landed. Heat rushed to her cheeks. Archer met her gaze, entirely unembarrassed, and gave a small, unapologetic nod. "Yes. Exactly. I can arrange that too if you so wish."

His smile turned her insides to liquid. "No! No, no," Tatum said quickly. "That's fine. All good."

She shook her head, then immediately wondered why she felt the need to do that at all. A simple no would have sufficed. But the thought of Archer being the one to satisfy that particular need was enough to force her off-kilter. There was no denying he was sexy as hell, and she'd had a thing for him since she'd joined the Society. Who hadn't? Those deep-green eyes were enough to make any woman's knees weak. Her cheeks were flaming as she turned away quickly. That was when she noticed the table was set for two.