Convict scowled at the house. “There’s been someone here watching over her for the past few nights, according to Manny. He just told me because I called in where we were going. They aren’t here now, and…” His words dried up. “There’s somethingbroken on the ground. Her cameras have been smashed. Wait here and lock the doors.”
Like hell was I doing that. I climbed out after him. “What do you mean someone’s been watching over her?”
“Your brother’s request, apparently. I don’t know any more than that. If you’re coming, stay close.”
I clutched his hand on our walk down the path. Broken plastic and glass glinted on the ground, the remains of the cameras, and a clear boot mark decorated the front door, a panel broken, though it had held.
“Lovelyn?” I called.
In the next-door house, a window cracked open and an elderly lady peered out. “Who’s there?”
“We’re friends of Lovelyn.”
The window opened more fully. “Is she okay?”
“That’s what we want to know. Did you see anyone here?”
“An hour ago, just as dusk was falling, the police were in the street. They picked up a man who’d been sitting in his car just down the way. Then the minute they were gone, another man ran at her house and smashed down her cameras with a golf club. He made a racket, hammering at her door. He didn’t speak but caused one heck of a mess. I called the police to come back, but they haven’t yet.”
Alarm tightened my stomach. “Did you get a look at him?”
“He was all in black. I wish I had the phone number for her big boyfriend. She isn’t answering me.”
Convict advanced to thump on the doorframe. “Lovelyn? Open up. It’s Con and Mila.” He glanced back at me. “If she doesn’t answer, I’ll find a way inside. You call my crew.”
At the upstairs bedroom, the curtains twitched. Lovelyn peered down.
I waved frantically. “It’s us. Open up or we’re coming in.”
Thudding came of feet on the stairs, then the front door flew open and Lovelyn stared between us, her shaking hands coming up to cover her mouth. Pale. No blood, no torn clothes.
I threw my arms around her in a hug. “Are you okay? What happened?”
She sobbed on my shoulder. Convict called out to her neighbour that we had her then guided us both inside.
“Tell us who,” he demanded.
Trembling, she dried her eyes with her sleeve. “I don’t know, but he tried to break in. I was terrified and hid in my wardrobe.”
“Why didn’t you call someone? Why isn’t Kane here?”
Words spilled from her lips, of her phone left downstairs, of a previous attempt my brother had helped with. Of her alarm at the cops taking the person she knew he’d left to guard her. But when it came to talking about Kane, her face crumpled all over again. I made a decision and lifted my phone to dictate a message to our Skeleton Girls group.
“Emergency meeting. Convene at my apartment in half an hour. Lovelyn needs our help.” Then I held her at arm’s length. “You’re coming home with us. Pack a bag. I won’t take no for an answer.”
With her safe, I’d work out what was going on and help my friend. And if my idiot brother had done something to hurt her, he would answer to me.
A short while later, we were tucked up in the living room of my apartment, Genevieve, Everly, and Cassie with us. Convict lingered in the doorway. I shooed him out to join the other men in the hall.
“We need some alone time.”
Convict scowled. “What are we supposed to do? Sit out here and scratch our balls?”
Behind him, Arran, Shade, and Riot waited, fortunately with their hands in plain sight.
If I’d been told three months ago that I’d be hosting a gangster girl meeting in my apartment while a collection of the scariest men in the city lurked outside the door, guarding us, I’d have thought the suggestion insane. Yet here we were.
I gave them a little wave with my fingertips. “I’m sure you’ll find tough guy things to talk about. Let us know if you want snacks.”
