121 Chapter 121

Stillmore pulled her closer. He had made mistakes here. Ones as big as her mouth. And right now, not only did he not know what she'd said to that bloody damned bitch, Babs Langley, but his biggest worry was that damned bracelet he'd had to pretend he hadn't seen her give the runt.

But here was the thing. The goddamn bracelet didn't matter. Nothing did. He didn't say, 'as long as he could keep her.' He just knew that finally, that look of harassment in her eyes had died, and as they met his, there wasn't just that flicker of vulnerability. There were things he'd never read there. An openness that dried his breath at the very back of his throat.

A step to the side. A step back. Bracelet? Hadn't he given Babs a bracelet all these months ago? What had it meant in terms of anything lasting? Nothing. He let her go. Stepped into the neighboring set as she stepped into the one to her left.