Page 131 of Override

The smile disappears so quickly it almost looks painful.

Immediately, I lean forward.

My fingers start tapping against my thigh. Twice. Pause. Twice. Pause.

"No one." She laughs softly. "I was listening to the music."

Ronan doesn't move. Doesn't blink. "You were talking."

"I didn't know you were home." Maeve turns toward him fully now. She smiles. Small. Careful. "How was your day?"

He's not listening. I know that look. I've seen it during interrogations. On targets. On men deciding whether the person in front of them is lying.

"...Fuck." The word leaves me quietly.

Ronan takes another step. "Give me your phone."

Maeve freezes. "What?"

"Your phone." Silence. She doesn't move. Not because she's refusing. Because she's confused.

"Ronan—"

"Now."

Maeve still doesn't move. Frozen, not defiant.

"Ronan..."

His jaw tightens. In three quick strides he's in front of her. His hand closes around her upper arm.

Hard.

Maeve gasps. Not loudly. Just enough that I hear it through the room microphone.

Every muscle in my body locks.

His voice stays calm. Almost conversational. "Give me the phone."

My eyes go straight to her arm. His fingers are too tight. She doesn't pull away. She freezes. Like she's learned that fighting only makes it worse.

Every instinct I have starts screaming. I stand so fast my chair crashes backward onto the deck. The sound echoes behind me. I don't even notice.

I shove through the sliding door. "Matt!"

Every head in the kitchen snaps toward me.

Matt is already on his feet. "What happened?"

I don't answer. I can't. Because my eyes are glued to the screen. Maeve's fingers slowly tighten around the phone. She's scared. I can see it.

Ronan reaches into his jacket. Not for a weapon. His own phone. He raises it to his ear without taking his eyes off her.

Says something too quietly for the room microphone to catch.

Then—Every monitor in my hand flickers.

One. Two. Three. Static. Connection lost. Camera offline. Camera offline. Camera offline.