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"Don't worry about Rich. Let me deal with my brother. You just get dressed. I'll see what Craig is making for breakfast." He checked his phone after removing the chair from the door. "What Craig is making for lunch, apparently. See you in a few, Sweetheart. I'll get you some ibuprofen too."

I rustled through my shirts for a while, not really happy with any of them. After Joey left the room, I started feeling strange excitement about going out and doing something seemingly ordinary and relaxed, knowing I wouldn't have to worry about the domineering posturing the others always had.

But that was just it. Joey was sweet, but that didn't absolve him from his associations and what they'd done. Why was Iexcited to go anywhere with him? I tossed the thoughts around in my head for a while as I decided on an outfit that covered as many of the marks as I could find and was soft enough to not irritate the sensitive skin.

Would he have even known they tried to kidnap me? How involved was he in their plans? I ran a brush through my hair and decided to leave it down before throwing my hands up at how I chased my thoughts in circles. I wouldn't figure it out staring at myself in the mirror. Might as well take the breaths of fresh air where I could get them for now and deal with whatever was coming down the line when it happened.

I slipped out of my suite quietly, a little jumpy and unsure what state I'd find the house in. It was strangely quiet for one of the first times since I'd been dropped off. Maybe everyone was out; that would be the best-case scenario. I padded cautiously across the great room and the gallery to the kitchen. I stopped just before turning the corner and heard the hushed tones of Rich's deep voice.

"Joey, no. Her phone is probably at the club somewhere. We'll just get Craig to check the bar since he's already gotta be by there today." He sounded tired, and I wasn't quite sure why I felt bad about that.

"She needs this Rich, some sense of normalcy. You know as well as I do, her shit just got turned upside down, and she's not been out of the house since she got here."

"We're keeping her safe while we sort this shit out. This is the easiest way to do it."

"Real bang-up job we're doing of it too, bro. She's not going to want a phone that's likely covered in someone else's blood, and she needs to get out for a while. I'll take my licks when I get back if I need to, but I'm taking her." Rich just sighed in response.

"You can come out, Princess. I know you're there. Your steps aren't exactly silent." I groaned and stepped out from around where I'd been hiding. "No one ever tell you eavesdropping is rude?"

"Hey, yeah… Listen, if it's gonna be a problem for me to go, then Joey can just get me a replacement. Or someone. I just thought it'd be kinda nice to get out and not get shot at." I said, wringing my hands and looking past him to the windows.

Rich pinched the bridge of his nose before running his hand through his curly hair. His shoulders sagged a little as he gave me a look, but not an intimidating one. He looked like he needed rest.

"Fine. I get it. I want you back in two hours. Joey, you're going armed." He said, sliding a pistol across the counter like that was a regular interaction. I stared at the gun for a long time before Joey picked it up.

"Craig isn't here, and she needs to eat. I really don't want her to have to choke down whatever we try to cook."

He pulled aside the light jacket he was wearing and holstered the gun. I looked between the holster and Joey's face several times, unable to reconcile what I was seeing now and the man who'd treated me so gingerly earlier. Rich made an annoyed sound.

"Three. We can't have the princess fainting from hunger, I suppose. But not a minute longer." He looked like he had something else to add, but Joey already had a hold of my arm. He carefully avoided hurting me as he led us from the kitchen.

"Good talk. Come on, Sweetheart, let's get you fed and replace your phone. I'll even let you pick the music in the car." I picked up my pace to keep up with his long strides as he sped us out of the house before Rich could add more rules to our outing.

He pulled open the door to the surprised look of a man standing on the porch, about to knock. He stared at Joey briefly before I stepped out from behind him.

"Uncle Theo?!" I grinned and rushed him with a hug. I felt like I hadn't seen him in so long. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh thank god, Jellybean! Hugo called this morning and said he couldn't get ahold of you or anyone in the house and he was worried. I told him I'd come by and make sure you were okay. I couldn't get you on your phone on the way over, so I started to worry." He hugged me tightly, and I had to bite back the painful groan that wanted to escape me from the rough contact.

"I'm fine Uncle Theo. I… lost my phone yesterday, and Joey was taking me out to get a new one. Uncle Theo, Joey, one of my new bodyguards. Joey, Uncle Theo."

"I can definitely see the family resemblance." Joey smiled, extending his hand for Theo to shake.

The corners of Theo's lips tugged down into a frown as he looked down his nose at Joey's proffered hand. "We're not related. I've been working with Hugo longer than Victoria has been alive."

"Way to undersell it." I snorted, turning to Joey. "He's not just my father's firm partner. He's a veryold, very doting friend of the family. As a kid, anytime my parents said no, Uncle Theo would say yes."

"Old, am I?" Uncle Theo turned back to me, ignoring Joey's outstretched hand. Joey put it in his pocket, looking a little uncomfortable. "Well, I'll have you know, young lady. One day, you, too, will have gray in your hair and crow's feet by your eyes." His gaze slid over Joey again, apparent disgust written in the lines of his face. "And hopefully, by then, you'll have the experience to makegoodchoices."

"Be nice, Uncle Theo!" I sighed, swatting his chest. "You know people are often more than they appear. Don't go acting like my father and ruining everyone's good mood." Uncle Theo wrinkled his nose, giving Joey another once over before sighing. His face relaxed slightly, and he stepped to the side to let us out onto the porch.

"I'm not trying to upset you, Jellybean. I just want what's best for you, you know that. Someone safe and steady, like that young man Benson." I couldn't stop the sick look that crossed my face before I could school my features. "I know you weren't a fan of how you were set up, but he really isn't all that bad."

"Sure, he's not bad. If you don't mind spending your time around someone who thinks the less fortunate are a drain on the system and are simply too lazy or stupid to make another choice." I sighed and gave him another hug, closing the subject. "I love you, Uncle Theo, but I'm not going to have this conversation with you. Joey's taking me to get a new phone and some lunch, and I'd like to get going."

"The fuck is the door doing open?" I heard his irritated voice before he stepped into the doorway. "What are you two still doing here?" Rich arched a brow as he looked over the three of us. "Don't you have somewhere to be, Princess?"

"Victoria's uncle stopped by to check on her because Daddy-O couldn't get any of us by phone," Joey said quickly before Rich could launch an interrogation. "We're heading out now."