“You look like you drowned,” Lucian said, his voice smooth and low.

“I had to run,” I said.

He stood up, walking around the desk toward me.

He didn’t look at the dog, but Bishop stepped forward, placing himself between us.

Lucian stopped, looking down at the animal with a strange look in his eyes.

“He still protects you,” Lucian murmured. “He never did that for anyone but Elena.”

“She left him with a reason to protect me,” I said.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small, black flash drive.

I held it out in my open palm, letting the green light of the desk lamp hit it.

Lucian’s eyes went to my hand, and his entire posture went rigid.

“Where did you get that?” he asked.

“Inside his collar,” I said. “It was stitched into the lining.”

He reached out, his fingers brushing mine as he took the drive.

His hand was cold.

“Elena’s,” he whispered.

He walked back to his desk, opening a drawer and pulling out a sleek black laptop.

He slotted the drive into the side of the computer.