Part 16 (1/2)

”The fact it's even a remote possibility is unacceptable.”

”Seth had no problem with it.”

”That's because he doesn't have the same-” Jonas broke off abruptly, knowing he was about to make a complete idiot of himself by claiming Seth didn't have the same vested interest in her well-being that he did. Which was unfair to Seth; the other man was a professional through and through, and he wouldn't have allowed Lily to appear in this evening's performance if he didn't think he could protect her. It was ridiculous of Jonas to think that his own feelings for her made him a better protector.

Whatever those feelings might be.

Emotions had never been Jonas's forte. He worked, he ate, he slept, he f.u.c.ked. Only when he was painting did he allow his emotions to come to the surface.

Until now.

Until Lily.

The thought of anyone harming so much as a hair on her head caused his fists to clench and his gut to churn. He just had no idea what those things meant.

Any more than he understood his frustration with the distance he now felt between the two of them. Not physically, obviously, because they were in the same room, but in every other way that mattered. They were talking like acquaintances rather than two people who had been lovers only days ago.

All Jonas wanted was to pull Lily into his arms and take them both back to that previous intimacy.

The coolness in Lily's demeanor and voice told him that wasn't going to happen.

”I want back on your security detail,” he said instead.

Her eyes widened. ”Why?”

Jonas recalled Gabriel's earlier warning concerning Lily's belief she was only a job to him, an obligation he hadn't completed. But how the h.e.l.l else was he supposed to explain the burning need he felt to protect her, when he didn't completely understand it himself?

”Never mind.” Lily's voice was brittle as she saw the answer to that question in Jonas's frustrated expression. She really was only an unfinished job to him, and she had better not forget it. ”If you feel that strongly about it, then I suggest you talk to Seth.”

His eyes glittered coldly. ”Seth is being a pain in my a.s.s.”

Grateful as she was to Seth, he was being a pain in her a.s.s too. If anything, he was even more protective than Jonas, to the degree he had taken her back to his own home six days ago, once she told him she had no idea where to go to feel safe.

Lily had protested the suggestion, of course, aware that after only a few weeks of marriage, Seth and his wife were still on their honeymoon and would want to be alone together. The last thing they wanted was a third person sharing their home.

Seth's answer to that protest? Diana would never forgive him if he didn't take her home with him. And he obviously had no intention of upsetting his wife.

Lily had reluctantly agreed to the idea, while inwardly deciding that if Diana showed the least resentment at her presence, then she would politely make her excuses and go to Gabriel's after all.

Diana Armstrong proved to be a warm and capable woman, and after spending six days in her company, Lily knew she and the other woman were already close friends. They would continue to be so even after this was all over, although quite how that would work when Jonas was also a friend to both Seth and Diana, Lily had no idea. But she would make it happen, even if she had to check each time she met up with Diana as to whether or not Jonas was anywhere near. Diana was too good a friend already for Lily to ever willingly give that up.

”I'll talk to him,” Lily told Jonas dismissively. ”I'm sure the two of you will be able to work something out.”

”You-”

”I really need to finish getting ready, Jonas,” she dismissed evenly, needing him to go before she broke down and told him how much she'd missed him.

That she loved him.

A love Jonas didn't want or need.

Chapter 13.

Jonas's lids were narrowed as he stood by one of the emergency exits at the front of the theater, his gaze roaming restlessly over the audience that filled it to capacity. A bejeweled and designer-label audience, all here by invitation to attend this gala performance in memory of the two men who had died at the theater the previous week.

Only two of the private boxes in the dress circle of the theater had people sitting in them, one on either side of the stage.

In one were two couples, the women red-eyed and pale-Charlie Driscoll's two daughters?-the stoic men seated beside them no doubt their husbands.

There were four people in the box opposite, the older couple would be Evan Butler's parents, the teenage girl his sister: their likeness to their deceased son and brother obvious. Seated beside them was Todd Shaw, Evan's heartbroken boyfriend, his eyes red and bloodshot, expression grim.

Jonas glanced back to the stage as the director, Giles Fowler, came on to make his introductory speech to the evening. Jonas was too busy keeping a watchful eye everywhere to have any idea what the other man said, but the audience seemed to appreciate it as they clapped long and loudly.

He turned his attention to the stage as the play began. Lily seemed slightly nervous to begin with, but, like the professional she was, quickly threw herself into her role, despite the fact she had a different leading man playing opposite her.

Jonas had never admired her more, loved her- Jesus Christ!

Love? Who the f.u.c.k mentioned love?

I did, he acknowledged incredulously.

Was he in love with Lily?

Was that what these feelings of anger and frustration were all about? Was that the reason he had to come back to town? Because he simply couldn't stay away from Lily any longer?

Wonderful.

f.u.c.king wonderful.

He was in love with a woman who would never see him as anything more than a bodyguard, or maybe a s.e.xual diversion, during a scary part of her life.

”I would have appreciated a heads-up you were coming here.”

Jonas's hands clenched into fists at his sides as he turned to confront Seth. ”I'm not answerable to you for my actions.”

The other man looked unperturbed by Jonas's aggressive tone. ”Let's take this outside.”

Several people in the audience closest to them had turned to look at them, their conversation obviously a distraction from what was happening on the stage.

Well, let them f.u.c.king look, because Jonas wasn't going anywhere until Lily was safely off that stage. ”Later,” he told the other man grimly, narrowed gaze once again roaming over the audience for any sign one of them might want to harm Lily.

”Jonas-”

”Get the f.u.c.k out of my face, Seth,” he spoke vehemently under his breath.

”You're disturbing the audience.”