Page 28 of Cipher

Instead of answering, he picked up a fresh strip of bacon and held it to my lips. I took a bite, my eyes locked on his. He watched me chew, then fed me the rest of it, his other hand settling on my bare thigh and practically scorching it with heat.

Him taking care of me felt so intimate. “You’re staring.”

“Yup.” He reached for a mug of coffee I had noticed, with cream and sugar already added. “Figured you might need this.”

His thoughtfulness blew me away. “Thank you.”

Corbin’s phone buzzed on the counter, and he glanced at the screen. “Your father’s at the gate.”

I straightened, suddenly very aware that I was still sitting on the counter in his shirt with him standing between my legs. “He is?”

“Yeah, he’s here for a briefing.” He gave my leg a light squeeze, then stepped away to unlock the gate remotely. “Stay right there.”

I sipped my coffee while he opened the front door for my dad and walked him into the kitchen. Dad’s gaze zeroed in on my clothes, just like I figured it would. But I refused to be embarrassed when I liked wearing Corbin’s shirt so much.

Corbin walked straight back to me, settling his hand at my waist.

My father’s eyes dropped to that hand and narrowed, then lifted to his face. “I trusted you to protect my daughter.”

Corbin didn’t seem bothered by the accusation. “I am.”

“From everyone but you,” Dad muttered.

“I’m the only man she’ll never need protection from.”

Corbin’s bold claim made me blush even harder, but now wasn’t the time to get into a conversation like this, so I cleared my throat. “You both realize I’m sitting here, right?”

“I’m always aware of where you are,” Corbin murmured.

“Fucking hell.” My dad exhaled through his nose and dragged a hand down his face. Then he muttered, “We’re going to talk about this later.”

“Looking forward to it,” I replied dryly.

“Sure you are.” My dad set several folders on the kitchen island and got straight to business, which I appreciated. The less time we spent rehashing the fact that I was currently living with Corbin, the better. “These are the files I told you about last night. They’re everything I can share at this point.”

Corbin dipped his chin. “Thanks.”

“Any luck with the search for the SUV?” Dad asked.

“Not yet.” Corbin shifted closer to me. “But one of my preliminary matches will identify the vehicle.”

“Not nearly soon enough,” my father grumbled. “I want these bastards.”

“So do I,” Corbin agreed.

“I have everyone I trust working the investigation from my end.”

I spoke up before either of them could move on. “I want to stay involved.”

Dad’s head snapped toward me. “Bex⁠—”

I refused to back down. “I’m the one who realized the erased call wasn’t just a glitch. I got Nina to open up at the hospital. Shutting me out now doesn’t make sense.”

“You’re already a target,” he shot back. “That’s enough of a reason for me.”

Corbin’s fingers flexed once against my side. “She’s right.”

Both of us looked at him, and my dad shook his head. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”