I called Benson, everything has been wiped. He’s fuming. Doorman saw nothing, so they must have entered from the private elevator from the private parking garage. Police are on their way.
I holstered my gun and covered it with my shirt before I punched the elevator button and rode down to the lobby. When the doors slid open, my eyes immediately found Don and Jane. His arm was wrapped around her as she cried into his shoulder.
“Do you think this is related to what happened to my father?” Her shoulders shook as he held onto her, and I hated myself for not being able to comfort her, but I neededto make sure whoever did that to the penthouse was long gone.
Don shrugged against her. “There’s no way to know until the police get here.”
“Did you call Poppy?” I heard her whisper.
I punched Jones’ name in my phone and waited a few seconds for him to answer. “Everything okay? You don’t usually call us.”
“There was a break-in at the penthouse.” I kept it short and sweet.
He was silent for a minute. “This is… not good.” He blew into the microphone.
I could hear Jacob’s voice in the background, but not what he was saying.
Jones returned to the line. “You’ll need to get her a new place to stay. Under the radar. Somewhere she won’t be easily found. Nothing under her name or yours.”
“Me?” I pulled the phone from my ear and blinked down at it. I couldn’t be speaking to Poppy’s brothers. “Why wouldn’t Donovan want them in his penthouse?”
Jacob must have taken the phone from his brother because his voice reached my ears seconds later. “Donovan has other matters to attend to and doesn’t want a teenage distraction. He doesn’t want Jane in his penthouse before or after the wedding, so she will need to return to our mother when Poppy goes to Donovan. We both know she won’t be on board for that.”
He was right, and I doubted very much that Poppy would want to go back to that place before she had to. It wasthe last place I wanted to take her, but they were together. Even if it didn’t make sense. Even if she wouldn’t tell me the truth.
“Okay, done.”
“That’s what we like to hear.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Poppy
Brunch was…uneventful. Donovan didn’t apologize, and I didn’t either. It was strange being in his presence; I didn’t know what to say or how to say it anymore. All I could think about was Ivan, but I knew it would never work. I knew it could never be. So instead of scowling and wanting to spit in his face… I sat there docile with a serene look on my face because it was the only thing I could conjure up.
“Are you going to be upset with me forever?” He finally asked after brunch was cleared away. I’d hardly touched mine, but he ate his fill just as he always did— only the protein and the fats. Nothing sugary or high in carbs.
My eyes met his cold gaze, and I watched him for a moment before I answered. He had a glass of champagne in front of him that remained untouched, and his arms were crossed over his chest. “Well?”
I blinked out of the spell I seemed to be stuck in and shrugged. “I’m not upset.”
“You’ve hardly spoken to me.”
“I haven’t had much to say. Would you like useless filler to take up our time together?”
He ran his tongue over his teeth. “No, I suppose not but I also don’t appreciate the silence either.”
I don’t appreciate being a side piece to you. I don’t appreciate being a slab of meat. I don’t appreciate being a baby maker. I don’t appreciate this arranged marriage.
I smiled with my mouth closed. There was nothing to say, or the truth would slip out, and I would damn my sister.
“Spend the day with me.”
It wasn’t a request. I nodded once, and he collected his coat from the back of his chair. When he stood beside me, he pulled on a strand of my hair and watched as it bounced. “I like your hair like this.”
“Thank you.” I’d put very little time and effort into curling it before brunch. I didn’t want to look like I didn’t care… but I also didn’t want to look like I cared because I didn’t. I was a hostage. I didn’t want to be here. I didn’t want to impress him. All I cared about was keeping my sister safe.
Donovan offered me his arm as we stepped out onto the quiet sidewalk, and I looped my hand through out of habit more than desire. The morning sun was painfully bright, mocking, really. Too cheerful for the way my stomach twisted in knots.
