But I can’t lose my little brothers. I’ll literally go insane.
“Just come to McCarthy’s place. You’ll see once you get here.” Hawthorne sounds troubled.
Even if they’re all alive, something is wrong. Something bad. I need to go to my brothers.
What do I do with Mandy, though?
My assistant has her laptop bag over her shoulder. Pepper is waiting in her chair.
“I just want you to know I need more than five minutes to pack everything,” she says. “Some of my clothes aren’t clean. I need to do laundry.”
“I have a washing machine.”
“I wasn’t sure if laundry was included in the weekend-prisoner package.” Her tone is acerbic.
I run my hand through my hair, which I usually try not to do so I don’t mess it up.
“What’s wrong?” Mandy’s suddenlyconcerned.
“My brothers…”
“Oh no.” There’s real concern on her face. She grabs my arm. “What happened? Are they hurt?”
“I don’t know. They’re being cagey. Something’s wrong, though.”
“Just go to them. I can go pick up my own clothes.”
I’m torn. I don’t want to leave her alone, but my little brothers are everything. All I’ve ever done, no matter how terrible, has been for them.
“You have to come straight back to my penthouse,” I warn. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“It will be fine. Honest. I haven’t heard from J—himat all.” She almost slips up and says the name. “I’ll be fine. Girl Scout’s honor.”
“Fine,” I spit out.
She beams. “Pepper and I will see you later.”
“No. Leave the dog. I’m keeping her as collateral.”
“Seriously?”
I hold out my hand. She begrudgingly hands me Pepper’s leash.
“I shouldn’t be long,” she promises.
“You have a corgi!”Fitz exclaims when he opens the door to McCarthy’s penthouse.
Pepper immediately starts barking at him.
“Pepper, hush.”
Fitz bends down to pet her. “Hi, Pepper! Why’d you name her that?”
“I didn’t.”
“Then who did?”
“Not your concern.”
