Page 4 of Let Me Protect You

After living here for three months, I have the mansion memorized. There’s a closet full of cleaning supplies on the south side of the building. It’s my best bet to lose the cameras. I take a sharp turn and pick up my pace. Elias follows my lead, keeping up with me. With everything my pursuers have to carry, we gain distance on them. My dress slips from my sweaty palms, so I grip it tighter and hug it to my chest. I’m almost there—just another hundred feet.

Tearing off my microphone and all the other technology tied to my body, I throw it and my shoes down the opposite hallway before turning right and entering the closet. Elias slides in with me and closes the door behind us.

A dim light shines from under the door, giving just enough illumination for me to see Elias. He doesn’t move a muscle as he holds my gaze. I’m too overwhelmed and freaked out to deal with him right now or even wonder what he’s up to. I just hope no cameras see him.

Sweat beads my forehead, and my chest heaves while he doesn’t seem affected at all. I stop breathing as footsteps near. When I press my ear to the door, feet shuffle by and fade away as I assume they head down the hall where I threw my heels. Then silence envelops us. I slide down the door, plopping on my butt—my poofy dress cushioning my fall.

Did I lose them? Can I finally have privacy to cry in peace?

“Are you okay?” Elias’s gravelly voice sends a chill down my spine. The first time I’ve heard it in years, and it has the same effect on me.

I tear off my veil and place it on the floor beside me before burying my face in my hands. Fresh tears rim my eyes. I was so close. So, so, so close. How much more selfish can I be? Serenity didn’t hesitate to come to New York for my wedding. She definitely didn’t think twice about rushing out behind me when I had decided to flee. She always thinks of me. And here I am, thinking about myself rather than her.

Maybe the texts will stop now.

“Harmony?” Elias sits beside me, leaving at least three feet between us.

Reaching out, I poke his muscled chest through his suit jacket and shirt and jerk away. “You’re real.”

His dark eyebrows scrunch up. “Of course I’m real. Sully sent me.”

“Why would Sully send you?”

“I’m your new bodyguard,” he says with a “duh” attitude.

There’s no way that Sully would send Elias to be my bodyguard. That man watched us fall in love while we worked at his cafe, one of the businesses that he owned on top of his security company. He was the only person I could think of—and that I knew well enough—to call who had the resources to actually help me. “Since when do you work as a bodyguard?”

“I’ll explain everything later. For now, I have to get you out of here safely.”

Heels click down the hallway, snagging both of our attention. “Harmony?”

I lift my head at my sister’s voice and wobble to my feet. Turning the knob, I open the door a crack and stick my head out.

Serenity’s gaze meets mine, and concern flickers across her features. “When I saw your shoes, I figured you’d tried to throw them off your trail, but next time don’t leave your mic with them.”

Summer’s uncertain eyes dart around the hallway, and my throat clogs.

“Let’s save the tears for later,” Serenity says gently. “We have a lot to talk about once we’re home. But how about we get out of here before they come back?”

“I can’t go yet. I’m under contract. I just needed a minute.”

As if summoning them, the cameramen and Anita turn back into our hallway. “There she is!”

“Shit,” Elias says as he follows us out of the closet.

Serenity grabs my hand and glares up at my ex-boyfriend. “What is Elias doing here?”

Elias motions us forward. “Does that matter right now?”

I’m too busy focusing on Anita, so when fingers wrap around my wrist, I yelp. I try to pull away, but the grip’s too tight. The hairs on the nape of my neck stand up, and I jerk my head to see who’s grabbed me.

I sigh in relief as I meet Victor’s eyes. And almost immediately, my stomach twists into knots as he holds my gaze a second longer than necessary. He glances over at Elias and looks him up and down before turning back to me.

“We need to give our closing statement per the contract.” His deep tone rumbles in the silent hallway.

Leave it to Victor to say something about the contract instead of asking why I’m fleeing.

A shrill voice interrupts us, “Why are you helping her, Victor? She doesn’t deserve you or your help.”