A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 455

After hanging up, Rowan, with one arm still around the woman in his lap, typed out a quick message on his phone.

"Don't worry, Professor Blaine and his wife will be fine," he said, his words meant for Elissa.

Seeing his calm confidence, her own anxiety began to fade. "Okay."

Leaning against him, Elissa felt her eyelids grow heavy, and before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep.

Rowan noticed her breathing even out into a steady, deep rhythm. A helpless look crossed his face as he gently stroked her hair and told Ian to slow the car down, letting her sleep.

She had always been a restless sleeper, and she still was, squirming in his arms every so often. But her eyes remained shut, a clear sign she was sound asleep.

Rowan looked down, his hand idly stroking the sliver of exposed skin at her waist. It felt a little softer than before.

His gaze shifted to her abdomen, where a small bump was just beginning to show. A dark, complicated emotion flickered in his eyes.

Elissa was woken up by another phone call. This time, it was Frank.

Rowan saw the caller ID and was about to hang up, but Elissa stirred and woke up first. She glanced at the screen, then instinctively looked up at Rowan before answering the call.

The car was quiet, and the volume on the phone was just loud enough for Rowan to hear. The hand resting on her waist gave her a light squeeze.

Elissa, still groggy from her nap, shot him a glare before answering. "No, I'm with my brother."

A moment of silence hung on the other end of the line. In the past, Frank would have been completely reassured by that answer. He had always believed he saw Elissa as a sister, that he would never have improper feelings for her—and especially not with Rowan in the picture. Although they weren't related by blood or law, in their circle, Rowan was her bona fide older brother. He had always felt completely at ease when she was with him.

But now, he was at a loss for words.

Could he blame Rowan? He had, for a time. But thinking about it, he couldn't. After all, wasn't he now harboring the exact same feelings for Elissa?