That sucks, but I’m not surprised.
I pull Melody into my arms. “Let’s pack up some of your things.”
She slumps against me as we step out of her office.
In her bedroom, I shut the door and cup her face. There are no words to express what I’m feeling, so I decide to give her the only thing that matters. “I love you.”
She smiles and wraps her arms around me. She doesn’t say anything back, but that’s okay. She will when she’s ready. For now, all that matters is me supporting her the best I can. That means moving her into the mansion and making sure she has everything she needs to write in a new office space.
“Suitcases?” I ask.
“I have two in the back of the closet.” She releases me and heads that way.
I follow her and reach around her to haul them to the bed and open them. “Do you have any boxes we can use, too?”
“I have a few, but do you really think I need to bring that much stuff with me today?”
“You take whatever you want, baby. We can make as many trips as we need until we get all your personal things moved. We’ll need to get a hold of your landlord, too.”
She starts laughing.
I furrow my brow. “What’s so funny?”
“I’m pretty sure you are my landlord, Brody.”
My brows lift now. “Really?”
“Yeah. You can’t possibly know how many properties in this town are owned by the estate. The previous owner passed away during my first lease. The Wilde estate bought this house at that time. Your grandfather was doing a shitty job of taking care of his properties, but he didn’t hesitate to buy damn near everything that became available. He was seemingly fixated on owning as much of Wilde as possible.”
I cringe. “We’ll be working on rectifying that. Once we get renovations going, we’ll see about selling the properties to the people who live or work in them. Every effort will be made to ensure they are offered a fair price, taking into consideration the rent they’ve been paying for years.”
She stares at me. “Wow. That’s very generous.”
I smirk. “You’re not marrying an asshole, baby. My family intends to right a lot of wrongs caused by Amos Wilde in this town.”
“While single-handedly doubling the population?” she teases.
I’m glad she’s relaxing a bit. I don’t want her to feel so much weight on her shoulders over this vandalism. I know it’s much bigger than that. It’s not about the graffiti or the cut electrical lines. It’s about someone knowing who she is. And what the fuck do they intend to do with that information? Blackmail her? Or just harass her because they don’t like what she writes?
Melody picks up a pile of clothes from a drawer and carries it over to one of the suitcases. She sobers again. “I don’t want to bring my problems to your family home.”
I shake my head and grab her shoulders. “Baby, don’t think that for a single moment. For one thing, everyone living there has had their own baggage at some point. Claire and Ryder managed to handle her crazy ex who thought he could kidnap her. Reagan and Tiago had to deal with his crazy ex who thought she could extort him for money. Then Dallas and Arianna dealt with her being discovered by more crazy people who hounded her over her notoriety. Your situation isn’t much different from hers.”
“She was tracked down and exposed eventually,” Melody notes with a shudder.
“Yes, and the town stood behind her. They supported her and still do. That kind of shit isn’t welcome in Wilde. If anyone harasses her and tries to get an interview about her parents’ deaths, they will be run out of town in a heartbeat. The same thing will happen if we have to cross that bridge for you, little pixie.”
“I hate the idea of being doxed. I just want to live my life in peace. I don’t want anyone to know who I am.”
I cross to her and pull her into my arms. “I know, baby. I’ll do my best to keep that from happening. But it was always a possibility, and it’s obvious someone has discovered you. No matter what, the security at the mansion is now top-notch. The gate is always shut and locked. The cameras around the property are updated and monitored twenty-four-seven. We have full-time guards. No one is sneaking up on the mansion without our knowledge. You will be safe there.”
“Yeah, but there’s a difference between being physically safe and emotionally. I’m not sure I’m prepared to be outed to the world.”
I kiss her forehead. “We’ll cross that bridge if and when we come to it, okay? Together.”
Chapter 17
Melody
