Okay, she truly had me baffled now. “Howdo you know?”
“Because when you thought I was a threat to Charles, you stepped in to protect him. That means you put others first, so you don’t cheat.”
I wasn’t sure that logic made sense to me, but she wasn’t wrong. While I happily fucked every guy I could get, there were two hard lines I never crossed: he had to be above twenty-one and able to fully consent…and he had to be single. No judgment to those with open marriages or polycules and whatnot, but I didn’t want any of that. Maybe I was too old-fashioned in that sense?
“Well, am I right?” Solstice asked.
“Yeah, you are. Cheating is a hard no for me.”
She grinned. “Told ya.” But then she sobered and thumbed at Charles. “How much danger is he in?”
“A lot. That’s why I’m here.”
“And he can’t go into witness protection or something?”
That, at least, was a question I knew how to answer since it came up a lot. Americans really watched too much TV. “That would involve him getting a whole new identity and leaving behind not only his family and friends, but also his home and business.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh god no. Forget I even asked.”
“Are you mad at me for not telling you right away?” Charles asked her, omitting some crucial information in my opinion.
“You’re the only one who knows the truth,” I told her. “So please don’t tell anyone.”
She held up two fingers. “On my honor as the president of the Charming High School alumni organization.”
Okay then.
“He refused to lie to you,” I added, wanting her to understand that this was all Charles and not me.
Solstice’s face softened, and she stepped up to Charles and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you, honey.”
He mumbled something I couldn’t make out.
“Please be safe,” she whispered. “I hate the idea of you being in danger.”
When they let go, her eyes were a little moist. “We should’ve never taken Carlo as a client,” she said.
“Technically, Gia was our client,” Charles shot back. “And there were no red flags with her.”
“True, but still.”
“Six months of rent, honey.”
I wasn’t sure what that meant, but apparently, Solstice did because she sighed in clear capitulation. “I know, but not at the cost of something happening to you.”
Charles nudged his head at me. “That’s where Eamon comes in. He’s really good at his job.”
I frowned. That was really sweet of him, but how would he know? He didn’t even know who I really was. But of course, I couldn’t point that out. “I am. And I promise I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Charles safe.”
“See?” Charles nodded. “Clearly good at his job.”
Solstice didn’t seem fully convinced, and I couldn’t blame her. She was worried about him, and damn if that didn’t make me like her even more. Which reminded me that Charles had also been concerned about her safety.
“We’re reasonably sure Carlo will trace the source back to Charles, considering you were at the banquet hall much earlier, but do keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.” I handed her my card. “And if you notice anything suspicious, please call me. Day or night.”
She took the card. “That’s not an NYPD business card.”
I had that covered too. “I can’t exactly go around announcing my real identity, now can I?”
