Page 436 of Face Off

“You told him?”

“The building app notified him that I used the spare key. He has been receiving alerts all day.”

“You knew that?”

“I suspected.”

“Briggs.”

“I needed the key to work. Emotional support required a calculated risk.”

He moves with the panicked speed of a man fleeing a crime scene, shoving his phone into his pocket before grabbing his coat from the couch.

“You don’t have to leave.”

“Yes, I do. I spent the last four hours selling you on Milwaukee. If I remain for the reunion, Ryan will demonstrate why anger management appeared first on my informal psychological assessment.”

“He won’t hurt you.”

“No, but he’ll describe what he plans to do to you until I relocate voluntarily.”

I cover my face. “He would never.”

Briggs stares at me.

“He might,” I admit.

“He absolutely will.”

He collects two empty beer bottles, the food containers, and the bag of chips before abandoning all of them on the kitchen island.

“That accomplished nothing,” I tell him.

“I panicked.”

He turns and crushes me against his chest in an enormous hug. One of my feet nearly leaves the floor as his arms close around me.

“I mean it,” I tell him. “Thank you for taking care of him.”

His hold tightens. “Thank you for coming when you were ready to stay.”

“I don’t know exactly what staying looks like yet.”

“That isn’t what I meant.”

He releases me but keeps both hands on my shoulders.

“You didn’t come here asking Ryan to save you,” he says. “You came because you finally trust yourself enough to choose him. Don’t let fear rewrite that while you’re waiting for the elevator.”

My eyes burn. “Was that psychology or friendship?”

“Premium friendship package.”

“I might reconsider your application.”

“You already hugged me. Legally binding.”

“That isn’t how friendship works.”