Chapter 20

• The heavy, suffocating spell of Roxanne’s lips was abruptly broken by the sharp, persistent vibration of my encrypted phone on the desk behind her.
• The glowing screen cut through the dim shadows of the study, flashing Jaxon’s secure tag. At the sound, Roxanne slowly pulled her mouth from mine. I could see the fleeting frustration in her eyes, quickly masked by a soft, docile sigh. She reluctantly slid off my lap, her bare legs brushing against mine as she stood. She adjusted the oversized white polo, pulling the hem down to her thighs, and took a few delicate steps away, giving me space to take the call—though her ears were undoubtedly straining to catch every word.
• I grabbed the phone, my voice returning to its cold, clinical register the second I pressed the receiver to my ear. "Report."