Once I was done admiring the paintings, I turned back to the living room. The wall of windows opposite the sofa took up the entire space, offering a breathtaking view of the Vegas Strip in the distance. Seth Michelson was standing in front of those windows with his back to us and dressed regally in an expensive gray suit. He had a glass of whiskey in his hand and downed it. I could use about ten of those drinks.
When he turned around, his gaze landed straight on me. He had a strong, broad build, blond hair, and piercing hazel eyes. The man was exceptionally good-looking, but he wasn’t a friend. Seth gave a slight nod to Ripp and a small smile to Kali before settling his gaze on me.
“It’s good to meet you finally, Wren.”
I stared right at him. “Wish I could say the same, but I can’t. But I do appreciate you letting me stay here.”
Seth smirked. “Honesty. I like it.”
Ripp snorted. “If there’s one thing Wren’s known for, it’s her brutal truth.”
I rolled my eyes at him but decided not to counter. The last thing I wanted was to invoke more conversation with Seth. I wasn’t there to be friends with him. Seth studied me momentarily and nodded as if he could read my mind.
“There are three guest bedrooms upstairs,” he said, pointing at the staircase. “Pick whichever one you want.” Then, to Ripp, he nodded toward the back door that led to the pool. “You can take the guest house.”
Of course, he would get the guest house while I was stuck in the main house with Seth. Ripp lifted his brows at me, and I gave a quick nod to him.
“I’m going upstairs.”
With a mix of apprehension and determination, I met Seth’s gaze once more before turning away and heading up the stairs, hating that my skin tingled when he was near.
I took the stairs to the second level, admiring the paintings again as I passed. Just like Seth said, there were three bedrooms, and I peeked at all of them. If I was going to be stuck in a house with dangerous mafia men, I might as well have the best accommodations.
As I entered the room I chose, my eyes immediately fell on the king-sized bed, dressed with a thick brown-and-gray comforter. The brown headboard added a touch of sophistication to the bed. The pillows were plump and soft, and they looked inviting, as if they were calling for me to lie down and rest. Hell, I could use some sleep right now, but I doubted my mind would shut down at the moment. Too much had happened in such a short period of time. There was so much left undone.
I tossed my bag onto the bed and flopped down on the soft mattress, letting my head rest on the plush pillows. Now that I was alone, I could breathe. The walls were neutral, with a light cream color that gave the room an airy feel. But there was something else in the room, a sense of femininity that was hard to describe. It wasn’t just the tiny vase of flowers on the nightstand, or the framed pictures of more landscapes on the wall. Something was in the air, a certain softness that made me feel at ease. That was the last thing I needed to be feeling right now.
Huffing, I sat up and moved away from the bed and my heart plummeted the second my phone rang. Slowly, I slid my cell out of my back pocket to see Peyton’s name on the screen. Ripp had called all the people I cared about to tell them about Parker, but I had yet to talk to them. There were moments when it felt like I was in a bad dream and that I’d wake up and Parker would still be here. The phone kept ringing, and I knew it would worry Peyton if I didn’t answer. That’s the last thing she needed, especially with being so close to her due date.
Closing my eyes, I swallowed hard and then opened them back up. “Hey,” I answered.
“Oh, Wren, thank God you picked up. How are you?”
Her voice was nasally as if she’d been crying for hours. How was I? Honestly, I had no clue. I felt nothing but the need for revenge. I could see it inside me, pushing the grief away. There was no time for crying.
“I’ll be fine,” was all I could say. “A lot is going on right now.”
She sniffled again. “You need to come home. Ripp said you guys are staying with Seth. What you need is to be surrounded by those who love you.”
It was strange hearing her say that. I’d gone my whole life only being loved by one person. If there was one thing in the world I was afraid of, it was losing love; it terrified me. My heart was already ripped in two because of Parker, but it’d be shattered if I lost Peyton, Ripp, Kali, or any of my other friends.
“Please come home, Wren,” Peyton pleaded.
I sat down on the bed, my gut twisting and clenching. “I can’t. It’s too dangerous. You’re about to have your twins, and there’s no way in hell I will jeopardize them. Nikolai’s in Vegas and I want to keep him here. That way, I know everyone back home will be safe.”
“Please be careful,” she cried. “I’m so worried about you.”
“Don’t be. You know I can handle anything that comes my way.”
“But you shouldn’t have to do it alone,” she replied.
“I’m not alone. Ripp’s with me.”
“Tell him to be careful, too. He’s on Nikolai’s list as well.”
“I will,” I promised. I could hear her mother in the background, asking to speak to me.
“Your coach wants to talk to you,” she said.
