David POV
Silence stretches between Katherine and me for a few moments before she speaks again. “If Lucien is involved—”
“He is,” I cut in, more certain than I want it to be. “He’s the only one who would move as aggressively like this. And the only one who would care enough to look.”
Because Lucien doesn’t waste time on things that don’t matter. If his attention has turned here, then he’s already seen something worth taking.
“She’s not ready,” I say after a moment, meeting Katherine’s gaze.
“She won’t ever be ready if we don’t start telling her the truth,” she counters. “Would you rather her be prepared to some extent?”
“We can’t tell her everything,” I say immediately.
Katherine shakes her head. “I’m not saying to tell her everything.”
A pause stretches between us, measured and ca
