“No! I’m not… I’m not just going to move in with you,” Sydney tells him, pushing away from him and scowling.
Frustrated, Ashton runs a hand through his hair. “Babygirl, be reasonable. Please. Our house is the safest place in the city. And it’ll be fun—like a sleepover!” He grins, excited. “You can stay in my bed. I’ll even keep my hands to myself, I swear!”
She pulls back from us even further, wrapping her arms around herself, her movements stiff, and I want to slap my brother over the back of the head. Fucking idiot.
“She said she’s not ready for that,” I snap at him.
He glowers at me. “Does it matter? She’s not safe anywhere else, and if Dant?—”
“That’s enough,” Alec cuts him off.
But Ashton’s wrong. There are other places in the city just as protected as our compound. Places that are secure. Discrete. Operated by the only person outside of our circle that we trust.
Places like?—
“I have an idea,” I say.
43
SYDNEY
Second Circle.
I stare up at the massive hotel, awed by the sheer size of it, as Earl steers the town car into the underground garage. He weaves smoothly through the structure before navigating to a reserved spot with Alec’s name on it. The roar of an engine announces Sebastian’s arrival moments before his motorcycle pulls into the space next to us. He takes off his helmet as he dismounts, shaking out his hair, before striding over to open the car door for me.
“You’ll be safe here,” he promises, offering me his hand to help me out of the car. The trunk closes with a dull thud as Earl pulls out my suitcase. “At least while we work out a more permanent solution.”
I miss the person I was this morning, when I didn’t know what it meant to pack a bag of everything you can’t stand to leave behind. I reach into the backseat for Bea’s cat carrier, grateful that she’d stayed hidden under my bed during the attack. I peek inside and see her calmly licking her paw, completely indifferent to the entire ordeal.
She’s as apathetic about murder as you.
“What about my shop?” I ask.
“You’ll have to close down for a few days.” Sebastian gives me a long, measured look. “We’ll reimburse you for the financial loss, of course.”
My teeth grind together. “That’s not the point.”
“I know.” He drags a hand through his hair and releases a tired breath. “I know, love, believe me I do. But it’s the best we can do right now. It’s not safe for you to be working there. Even with the cameras.”
He’s right. And I hate that he’s right.
“Who was that man?” I press. “The one who attacked me?”
“As far as we know? Hired muscle.” He takes my bag from Earl. I give the older man a polite smile and mouththank you, as Sebastian guides me toward the elevators. “We’re still working to ID him.”
“But why would Chase?—”
The elevator doors ding as they open, and Sebastian ushers me inside.
“I called Jade on our way over,” he tells me. “She’ll be shutting down the store tomorrow and coming here to spend the day with you.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
He shoots me a look that says he absolutely did. “I don’t want you to be alone. And having your best friend here will make the transition easier.”
He’s right again. I do need her, right now. I need the comfort having her around will provide.
“She sounded excited,” he adds. “When I informed her everything would be comped, she asked if that included room service and the minibar.”
