Rumors ?

Liam stood in the dimly lit kitchen, hands braced against the counter, Christina's words still ringing in his head.

"You didn't even notice, did you?"

His jaw tensed as he exhaled slowly. He wasn't a man who let emotions get the better of him—never had been. But something about the way she'd looked at him, the way her voice had dipped just slightly at the end, made it impossible to shake off.

Outside, through the window, Christina moved with her usual precision, scanning the perimeter. Business as usual. As if she hadn't just laid everything bare.

He should let it go.

Instead, he found himself pushing away from the counter and stepping outside.

She barely glanced at him. "If you're coming out here to do the whole 'let's talk about this' thing, don't bother."

"Not what I do," he said easily, leaning against the railing. "But you caught me off guard."

Her laugh was short, humorless. "That much was obvious."