The One He Dismissed Became The One He Died For novel Chapter 193

"The call is still connected..."

Claire murmured softly, reaching for the phone by the bed, but just as her fingers grazed the metal casing, Miles pulled her back.

He pinned her wrists above her head with one hand.

"Are you that afraid he'll find out?"

His voice was husky, laced with a lazy, predatory danger.

Without waiting for an answer, he lowered his head and kissed her, trailing from her earlobe down her neck. She trembled, a soft whimper escaping her throat.

She quickly bit her lip to swallow the sound.

The phone screen glowed on the floor, broadcasting Jefferson's anxious voice.

"Claire, what are you doing?"

"Be good. Take my number and social accounts off your block list. When I finish up and get back to Empire City, we can sit down and talk face-to-face."

Miles glanced at the active call, leaning in to kiss her with even more ferocity.

"Mmh, don't..."

Drained of energy yet terrified to make a sound, her face flushed crimson.

He only released her when the line finally went dead, replaced by a dial tone.

She glared at the man hovering over her. "You did that on purpose."

"I did."

Claire raised an eyebrow and chuckled, poking his chest with her index finger. "Are you jealous?"

Her finger slid downward, stopping at his belt buckle. "If you're so jealous, why did you stop?"

Miles caught her teasing hand, ignoring the provocation. He pulled open the nightstand drawer and took out a tube of ointment.

"You've already applied enough, I don't think I need more." Claire glanced at her chest, noting the rash had mostly faded.

"This isn't for allergies. It's for the abrasions." Miles gave her a light tap. "Open it."

"You..."

Claire flushed an embarrassing shade of red. Who was the shameless one here?

Toby stood in the doorway in his cartoon pajamas, his hair an adorable, messy nest. The moment his sleepy eyes landed on Claire, they lit up.

He scrambled onto the mattress and threw himself into her arms. "Goddess Claire!"

His eyes darted around mischievously. "Can you sleep with me tonight? He's a grown-up, and grown-ups don't need company."

"Sure, I'll stay with you." She ruffled the little boy's hair, shooting Miles a look that clearly said, Don't argue with a child.

Miles stood up, conceding the master bedroom to them, and headed to the guest bath for a cold shower.

He had only brought Toby over for one night, and he was already ready to ship the kid back to Zimmerman Manor.

Early the next morning, Claire dropped the little guy off at preschool.

Outside the school gates, she snapped a selfie of the two of them and texted it to Miles.

Miles had just wrapped up his morning rounds when his phone buzzed. He opened the message and froze, his thumb unconsciously brushing over Claire's beaming smile on the screen.

Her texts began popping up one after another.

[Dr. Zimmerman, we made it.]