Eli never complained but he’d spent an unusual amount of time staring out the car window and grumbling. And now he sat in the booth with his back to the bar and the man behind hit. A punch of guilt hit Bast. The trip gave him the opportunity to see Kyra for the first time since early that morning. See and admire. Eli, in full bodyguard mode, had little choice but to come along. Bast glanced over at Kyra and caught a smile. Then he looked across the table and saw nothing but Elijah’s dark hair. “I know you’d rather not be here.” “I have to eat.” Eli never looked up from the file in front of him. He studied it as if his life depended on it. “Eli, I get—” “Aren’t you going to say hello to your girlfriend?” Eli flipped a page. Then another. “Maybe drag her into the back for the few minutes.” After a quick look around the dining room, Bast leaned in and lowered his voice.
