Roxanne sighed in secret relief when he finally let go of her hand. She leaped up as soon as she could place some distance between them. “Thank you, and sorry again for troubling you.”

The man frowned slightly at her words but did not respond.

Roxanne glanced at the mess on the kitchen floor and made to get up.

“What are you doing?” The sullen voice sounded again.

Roxanne froze. “The floor needs cleaning up,” she said. “The children might step on the shards.”

Lucian’s ...