my own. No excuses.” She focused on the paperwork again.
“Can I take that with me and read it over?”
“You can read it here. This doesn’t leave the house without
your signature on it.”
“Okay.”
“You can have the office. I’ll leave you alone.”
She was so composed, and her back was to Coralyn, but she
had the sense of everything tearing wide open. This wasn’t the
moment to leave Giana alone. She could, if she was cruel, but
she wasn’t. Giana, professed ice queen, the woman who gave
the world all of herself professionally and none of herself
personally, had just told her something that she probably
hadn’t told anyone before. Because she was throwing it in her
face? Purposely trying to be mean? Or because she was
struggling, floundering, trying for the first time to reach out?
“Wait.” Giana stopped, but she didn’t turn. Coralyn had to
walk to the door. Had to put her back to it and cross her arms.
Had to wait for Giana to raise her head. Her jaw ticked when
she did. She was shuttered away, her walls back up. She
wanted to bring them down, get the Giana back that she’d
known for such a short time. It wasn’t rational, but nothing
she’d done was. She was already falling, she’d been in a
downward trajectory since she’d gone to Giana’s office the
first time. She couldn’t stop herself. “Giana,” she begged.
“Please don’t go.”
“Don’t worry. If I leave this room, you’re safe here. You’re
far safer here without me.” Her sensual lips turned up into a
hard, perfected smile, the smile of a huntress. It made a hot
shiver race through Coralyn. She’s saying she’s the dangerous
one. She thinks taking herself out of the equation is going to