#Chapter 23 – Men in Black

Olivia's POV A whisper of dread sunk into the back of my stomach. I wondered if Derek could see right through me; could he see the secrets I was desperate to keep? What if he’s already figured it out? What if all of this – dinner, the charm, even the rented-out restaurant – was to corner me and expose everything? Shit, I can add paranoia to my personality traits now, I thought. If Derek suspected anything, he kept it well-hidden. I felt no deception, just the smallest amount of curiosity, and even then, it was hard to tell. I forced a smile, pulling myself together. I needed to put any doubts about me and Ethan to rest. My voice softened, taking on a dreamy quality, like I was reminiscing about a love too perfect to be real. “Ethan is… everything I could ask for,” I said, adding just the right hint of longing. “I know we didn’t exactly meet in the best of circumstances, but we couldn’t deny there was something between us. He’s intelligent and powerful; he makes my he