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“Who are the guys who’s been watching everyone?”

“Not everyone, Cyrus. Just my girl, you and Sammy, my parents, Piper’s parents...the usual.”

“They must be good if I had no idea that we were being watched this whole time.” I sat up as Sammy stepped into the room. “Who are they?”

“Just guys trying to make an extra dollar or two,” was all Jaron said.

“Fine, don’t tell me,” I mumbled.

“Listen, they saved Piper and I, so I’m returning the favor by paying them to keep an eye out on things. But don’t even bother approaching them and asking them for information. I won’t even tell you how long it took for me to find them and get them to agree to work for me.”

“You used Rowan, didn’t you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Jaron paused. “I have to go, and you can tell Sammy but please don’t tell anyone else. Don’t need any issues for being paranoid.”

“Got it.” We said our goodbyes and I placed my phone on silent so I could get a workout in uninterrupted. I still wondered who these guys were that Jaron paid to watch us, but I let it go. If it came down to it, I could contact Rowan Crane and get the information from him. His parents had been hackers when they were young, and he continued on with the family legacy after his parents retired from that hidden talent of theirs. Or so Rowan said, but I firmly believed that his parents still used their computer skills and just never told him about it.

“Was that Jaron?” Sammy asked, pulling me from my thoughts and heading to the treadmill.

“Yeah.” I explained to him that Jaron had us being watched for our safety.

“Huh.” Sammy stabbed a button on the machine and started running. “I had no idea.”

“Neither of us did.”

We spent the next hour working out in silence. Nothing was said between us, but I couldn’t help but wonder what was on his mind. After our parents died, I had fallen into myself. I became well acquainted with Jack Daniels after my eleventh birthday and spent many drunken nights with only a bottle to keep me warm.

When I was getting ready to leave the gym and go take a shower, I checked my phone and smiled at a new text from Ainsley.

Pet: I hope you’re having a good evening. Should I wear anything special tomorrow?

Me: I am, thank you. I hope you are too. I’m wearing a suit as requested, so whatever you want to wear is fine with me.

Pet: You don’t have to wear a suit, Cyrus. I was mostly kidding.

I chuckled to myself. She wasn’t kidding. I remembered the spark in her eyes when we had talked about it. Sure, I hadn’t worn one since I was a kid, but I would wear one for her.

“What’s so funny?” Sammy asked, wiping a towel down his face.

“Nothing.” I shoved my phone into my pocket. “I’m calling it a night.”

“Really?” He raised an eyebrow. “It’s early.”

“It is,” I said, heading to the door.

“What’s with you?”

I stopped, spinning on him. “Me? What’s with you, Sammy? You’re grumpy as fuck, snapping at everyone and anything. Is it that time of month or some shit?”

“I’m fine,” he muttered, shoving past me and leaving the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

If my brother thought I was going to chase after him, he was mistaken. He knew where to find me if he wanted to talk. Until then, I was going to focus solely on trying to earn Ainsley’s trust.

Cyrus

It was finally Friday,and I was getting ready for my date with Ainsley. I had about an hour before I had to pick her up and I wasn’t anywhere near being ready. I was showered and shaved but that was it.

I looked at the suit laid out on my bed at the clubhouse. I had never been on a date before. Most of the women I had gone out with ended up in my bed back at the apartment only because I had nothing better to do. I didn’t even have to ask and they were there beneath my sheets, waking up and wanting more, but I could never give them what they wanted. No matter how much they tried. There had never been anything about them that I needed or even wanted. Not until I met Ainsley, did I ever once think I would settle down anytime soon. As much as I wanted it, it hadn’t happened.