My blood runs cold. “Is she hurt?”
“No, but she’s pretty shaken up. We’re about five minutes out. You about finished?”
“Yeah. Just wrapped up. See you in five.”
I’m practically jumping out of my skin until the SUV finally pulls to a stop in front of me.
Rushing over, I yank the door open before Evo has a chance to get out and do it himself.
Arms wrapped around her middle, Lizzy is leaning against the far door, looking pale and shaken.
“Sunshine,” I breathe, quickly sliding in beside her. “Are you okay?”
She nods, but as I look her over, I can see a slight tremor in her hands. “I’m fine. Just wasn’t expecting to be ambushed like that.”
I wrap my arm around her, pulling her close. “What happened?”
“Some photographer recognized her at your star,” Evo explains as he pulls away from the curb. “Then more showed up. Started asking questions about Walker Prince and Carrie.”
My jaw clenches. “Fucking assholes.”
“It’s okay,” Lizzy says. Her voice sounds so small. Nothing like the spitfire Izzy I know. “Evo handled it.”
“Handled it how?”
I glance up to see Evo’s meaty fists tighten around the steering wheel. “Paps got to her. Came on us real quick. One of them got too aggressive. Camera hit her shoulder.” He lifts a shoulder. “I made it clear that’s not acceptable behavior.”
“Jesus Christ.” Fury bubbles up as I tighten my arm, tucking her protectively against my side. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine,” she insists, leaning into me. “It was just crazy and unexpected. Evo acted like a human shield and rushed me to the car. Got us out of there pretty quick.”
“Thanks, man.”
He gives a curt nod. “Just doing my job, sir.”
Turning my attention back to my girl, I pull back and gently brush a strand of hair from her face, giving her another once-over.
When I see that her skin is slowly warming back to its normal dusky glow, I sigh in relief. “Hungry?”
“I could eat.”
“Evo. Let’s go home.”
“Yes, sir.”
fifty-five
Never haveI felt safer than I do wrapped in Rowan’s arms. By the time we get back to his place, the excitement has almost completely worn off.
“You want a bath?” Rowan asks, his thumb brushing across my cheekbone as we stand in his entryway.
I nod. “That sounds amazing.”
Hand firmly at the small of my back, he leads me up the stairs. The way he’s hovering—like I might shatter any second—under normal circumstances would annoy the shit out of me. But after all the chaos, I find his protectiveness comforting.
“You know, I can run my own bath,” I grumble halfheartedly as he guides me into his ensuite.
“I know,” he replies, turning on the faucet and testing the water temperature with his wrist. “But I want to.”
