Jaxon took my hand and squeezed it once he’d parked in the hotel parking lot. I grimaced and squeezed back, holding his hand like a talisman as he let me have a few minutes to breathe.
“No matter what Melody says, please do not let me kill her,” I begged.
His mouth twitched and he nodded. “She calls you a cunt again, I can’t guarantee I won’t go for her throat.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I’d pay good money to see that fight.”
He chuckled, leaning over to kiss me quickly. “Ready?”
“No, but let’s go anyway.”
We climbed out of the truck and walked up to my room. I was able to slip inside without being seen, packing up a few of the things I couldn’t live without, then it was time to face the music so to speak, so I headed down the hall to my sister’s room.
Before I raised my hand to knock, Jaxon leaned down and kissed me gently. “You got this.”
I nodded and pushed into the room. “Melody?”
“Where the hell have you been?” a very angry Lyric snapped, stalking into the room. “I have been trying to call you for days.”
I felt Jaxon’s hand settle on my back and I leaned into it.
“Oh,” Lyric squeaked, freezing in place and staring up at Jaxon. “Who are you?”
“He’s one of the FBI agents trying to figure out who’s stalking DiDi,” I answered.
“Jaxon Quinn, ma’am,” he said with a nod.
“Have you found anything?” she asked—which came out more like a demand. Hopefully, Jaxon overlooked her tone, because she was one of the nicest people on the planet, but she was a lawyer and could sound curt even when she didn’t mean to.
“I’m not at liberty to say,” he replied. “But rest-assuredbothyour sisters are protected.”
Her eyes did a full body scan and then glanced at me. “I see that.”
I rolled my eyes and she pulled me in for a hug.
“Good lord, NiNi, I was worried sick,” she said.
“Sorry Li. It’s been a weird couple of days.”
She cupped my face. “Are you okay? Melody mentioned she’d been rather nasty.”
“Melody mentioned?” I asked.
“Okay, Billy spilled the beans and Melody didn’t deny it,” Lyric clarified.
“That sounds more accurate,” I grumbled. “It’s not worth hashing out again. I just came by to pick up a few things. I’m going to stay with a friend for a few days. Did she tell you I quit?”
“No. She conveniently left that part out.”
“Well, I did.”
“Honey, that seems rash, don’t you think? You can’t give up on her.”
“I’m not giving up on her. I’m doing this because if I don’t, I will murder her,” I admitted, craning my head to look at Jaxon. “For the purposes of your law-enforcement ears, you didn’t hear that.”
A flicker of humor lit his eyes, but his facial expression stayed neutral. “Got it.”
I focused back on Lyric. “Honestly, LiLi, it’s the only way I can fathom salvaging a relationship with her. I miss my sister. The raging lunatic who has replaced her is not someone I care to know.”
