“Morning, boss,” Eddie greeted, placing several folders on Matt’s desk. “Got something you’ll want to see.”
Matt’s brows drew together as he flipped open the top folder. “And?”
“We found Miley,” Eddie reported, his voice holding notes of triumph undercut by concern. “Still holed up in Mystic Spring. But Herbert…” He paused meaningfully. “He’s gone off radar completely.”
Instinct reared its head within Matt, sensing trouble like a shark scenting blood. “Keep searching,” he commanded, his coffee forgotten. “He can’t have vanished into thin air.”
Eddie nodded and departed as quickly as he’d arrived.
Alone now, Matt wrestled with the unease gnawing at his gut. Herbert’s disappearance was as suspicious as a silent casino at midnight. Why vanish now? Could he be hunting Mia and Andy?
The phone felt cool against his ear as he dialed James—a call as welcome as a tax audit at dawn. James answered with the gravelly voice of a man who’d rather be wrestling bears than taking early morning calls.
“This better be good, Matt,” he growled, Mia’s soft breathing audible in the background like a gentle counterpoint to his irritation.
“Herbert’s gone underground,” Matt cut straight to business. “Miley’s still in Mystic Spring, but he’s disappeared completely.”
There was a pause as James processed this, sleep falling away like a discarded coat. “I’ll get my men on it. We’ll do our part.”
“Be careful with this one,” Matt warned, fingers drumming an impatient tattoo on mahogany wood. “Something feels off about the whole thing.”
“Understood,” James replied after a beat. “I won’t tell Mia about it. She doesn’t need this worry.”
“I won’t tell Andy either,” Matt agreed, the weight of protection settling familiar on his shoulders. They were guardians first; lovers would have to wait their turn.
They hung up—the click echoing like a closing chapter awaiting its next twist of fate. Matt turned back to his now-cold breakfast, his mind racing with possibilities. Herbert’s suddendisappearance was a storm cloud on the horizon, threatening to disrupt the fragile peace he’d worked so hard to build. But he’d be damned if he’d let that snake slither anywhere near Andy or Mia again.
Thirty-Two
ANDY
Amonth out of the hospital and it felt like I’d been reborn into some kind of high-class fairy tale. I stood in front of the mirror, tilting my head left, then right, inspecting my reflection. The bruises that once marred my face had vanished, leaving behind the kind of smooth, unblemished skin that’d make a skincare commercial jealous. The pain had become nothing more than a ghost of an ache, a reminder that seemed to fade with each passing day.
Three weeks had passed since Mia and James jetted back to LA, leaving me to navigate this gilded world on my own—well, not entirely on my own. I’d moved into the penthouse fully, turning my back on my old apartment like some kind of twisted farewell tour to my past struggles. Fin and Ethan had pitched in, packing boxes like pros and transforming the whole thing into an impromptu party.
Bruno and Tyrone—my hulking shadows—had flexed more than just their protective muscles that day, hoisting furniture like they were auditioning for “World’s Strongest Man.” I swear, those guys could double as cranes in their off hours. The sight of Bruno carefully carrying my prized comic book collection had been particularly entertaining.
“Those are collectibles,” I’d insisted when Ethan couldn’t stop laughing. “Besides, I think it builds character—and muscle.”
Being Matt’s other half came with its own set of sparkly handcuffs—namely, a black credit card he called an “allowance.” Who knew dating a billionaire meant hitting a financial jackpot every month? That card burned hotter in my pocket than Vegas asphalt in July, but who was I to complain? The number of zeros on that monthly limit still made my head spin; it was more money than I could have dreamed of making in a year.
I’d put it to good use, though. First order of business? A work desktop so advanced I half expected it to launch a space shuttle. Matt had designated a room in the penthouse as my office—a nice upgrade from coding in the living room like some kind of tech hermit. The space now resembled a tech haven that would make any Silicon Valley prodigy green with envy.
Life had taken a sharp turn onto Easy Street lately—well, if you didn’t count the personal security detail doubling as lunch companions. Sure, Bruno and Tyrone could ease up on their eagle-eyed watchfulness, but hey—I wasn’t one to argue against free muscle when moving house or warding off kidnappers. They weren’t just bodyguards anymore; these days, they were my unofficial moving crew, personal trainers, and probably soon-to-be personal shoppers if I had my way.
That day found us lounging in one of the Maxwell Hotel’s most upscale restaurants, where the view could steal your breath—assuming you had any left after eyeing the menu prices. The restaurant perched so high above the city that it felt like dining among the clouds, all gleaming surfaces and understated luxury. Bruno and Tyrone occupied a nearby table, their stoic gazes scanning the room with the kind of vigilance that made you wonder if they were expecting a ninja attack. Their presence was both comforting and slightly ridiculous, like having twomountains decide to play bodyguard. Across from me, Fin and Ethan engaged in their usual brotherly banter, while I admired the cityscape with a sense of surrealism.
“So, Andy,” Ethan said, leaning back in his chair with a smirk playing on his lips, “how does it feel to be living the high life?”
I flashed the black credit card with a flourish. “Oh, you know, just your typical rags-to-riches story. Minus the riches part—those are all Matt’s.”
“You’re gonna spoil us rotten,” Fin commented.
“Not that we’re complaining,” Ethan added, his eyes glinting with mirth.
“Perks of having a sugar daddy,” I quipped, making Fin snort into his drink while Ethan shook his head, amusement written all over his face.
Fin’s expression turned pensive, his gaze lingering on the skyline like he was auditioning for a perfume commercial. “Maybe I should start shopping for a sugar daddy myself. The benefits package seems quite… stimulating.”
