“What man?”

“Stop lying to me,” I hissed, gritting my teeth.

His eyes closed to slits now and I knew he was reassessing me. I didn’t care. I snarled at him, “I know you’re lying so stop it. I know something’s going on. I know that man came to you and said something to you. I know he’s with the mob.”

There.

My heart skipped a beat.

I tossed out the first card and I waited.

It was now his turn. Would he continue to lie or would he tell me the truth? I needed the truth. I was realizing that. He had protected me for so long, as I tried to protect my loved ones, as I tried to protect him when we were children, but it would have to be different now.

“He is.”

Relief rushed through me and my knees sagged, but I wasn’t done. I forced myself to stand firm as I said the rest, “I know that Franco is alive.”

Okay, that was a total bluff, but it’d been bothering me for the past few days.

He didn’t react. Nothing.

I frowned. What did that mean? But then he took a deep breath and pressed his lips together. The ice in his blue wolf-like eyes dimmed a little and he glanced away. His jaw clenched as he swallowed, taking a breath at the same time, but then he turned back. It was there. I was bowled over with the realization. Franco was alive. I saw it in his eyes. Releasing a ragged breath, I couldn’t talk for a moment. No words could even formulate in my mind. Where did I go from there?

“You should go back to the party.”

I reared back. That was it? “Are you kidding me?”

He grew weary.

I shook my head, a bitter laugh spouting from me. “I can’t believe you. Franco’s alive and that’s all you say to me? I should go back?”

“Emma.”

He reached for me again. I slapped his hand away. “No!”

“What do you want me to say?” he bit out now. The chill had come back. It doubled as he snapped, “You’re not involved with this. I’m doing this to protect you—”

“That’s bullshit.”

He stopped, his chest starting to heave now. “Are you f**king kidding me?”

“No!” I didn’t hesitate now. “I am involved with this. You and me. We’re together. I won’t stand by anymore.”

“Not with this! Not with my ties—”

“You said you were out.”

“I am out!”

“No, you aren’t,” I yelled back.

Suddenly his hand came up and pressed against my mouth. I was moved back to the wall and he rested his body on mine. His head was beside me and I could feel his deep breaths. His chest moved against mine, but his breath teased over my neck. My heart began to pound again, but I tried to listen over its loud thumping.

We heard through the door, “We’ll set up in a back suite. Reed wanted this meet. We’ll give him what he wants…” The voice faded as the man moved beyond the door.

Carter didn’t let go of me and I grew aware of the shadows that flickered past the door. We could see them as they followed whoever that man was. Then a sick feeling came over me and I whispered around his hand, “Was that Franco?”

He was tense, but he shook his head.

“Tell me what’s going on.” The need to protect him surged inside of me.

It was there. He was considering it. I could feel it, but then he let out a deep breath. It was gone. An apology flashed in his gaze. “I can’t.”

“Carter.”

“Emma,” he whispered, bending close again.

I closed my eyes as I felt his lips move against mine. My heart was beginning to break. I didn’t know what he was going to do.

He added, “Go back to the party.”

“And you?”

He began to step back, but I didn’t let him. My hands were fisted into his tuxedo and I kept him against me. I didn’t want to let him go.

His eyes flickered down to my hands. He didn’t fight my hold, but he gave me a tentative smile, cupping the side of my head. His thumb brushed some of my hair back. “I need to make some phone calls and then I’ll come back.”

“You promise?”

The need to believe him was so strong, but my gut was stirring. He was still lying to me.

He nodded. “I promise.” Then he pressed his lips to my forehead and again to my lips. “I love you. I’ll be right back.”

“Carter.”

“I will.” His eyes were reassuring now. “I promise.”

I let him go. I had no choice. I knew that now. He was going where he was going and I drew in a shuddering breath. My heart wouldn’t calm down. I had no idea what to do, but he was gone in the next second. Even if I went after him, I knew he’d be gone. This was what Carter did. He was a ghost, but I had no idea what to do.

My legs couldn’t move.

I was beyond scared now.

I went back to the banquet room, unsure what to do. This was what he did. That was who he’d been for so long, so I should trust him, but not this time. A nagging voice kept saying to me. ‘Get up and go after him! What are you doing?!’

The award ceremony had started, but I struggled to hear any of it. The voice kept yelling at me to get up and go.

“Finally,” Theresa exclaimed once Noah gave the last speech of the night. He thanked all his employees and gave the normal ‘This hotel wouldn’t be what it is without the people in this room’ message. A collective ‘Aw’ went around the room as people felt moved by it. Then he announced that all the liquor stations had been restocked and hurried off the stage. Coming towards us as everyone else headed towards the stations, he was only stopped by two board members. When he broke free from them, he collapsed into the chair beside Theresa. “Shit,” he grunted. “That took a lot of time.” He reached for Theresa’s glass and drained it.

“Hey, that’s mine!”

He put it down and reached for mine.

“That’s Emma’s!”

“She hasn’t touched it all night. I’ve been watching you guys.”

“Do you know where Carter is?” I asked now. My soft voice was clearly heard, and Noah stiffened before meeting my gaze. He was guarded. He knew. That was all I needed to know before I stood up. The voice screamed at me, “GO!” My mind was made up. “Nevermind.”