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“Your only job is to watch these assholes like a fucking hawk from now on, got it? Zarina included. I need to know just how involved she is in all of this.” Prince said it in that voice he only used when he was giving orders as my president. “That little fucking bitch-boy bodyguard of hers too.”

I nodded once.

The request was not out of the ordinary.As the sergeant-at-arms, intel was one of my jobs.

“But,” he lifted a finger before I had the chance to walk away, “you keep your distance.”

My jaw ticked with irritation.

“Whatever it is you two have going on is over, got it?”

I wanted to argue the point, but I knew that it was no use.

He was right.

I knew it already. I had felt it last night when I had to distance myself from the woman just to keep my sanity. Following her for the next few weeks would be a specialised form of torture.

Watching without touching seemed like punishment enough for the heat I had brought to the club, so I would follow orders. And not just because looking at her for weeks on end stirred some dark part of me into an excited frenzy, like a hunter heading into the woods.

It helped that my prey was so damn good to look at.

16

ZARINA

I didn’t knowwhether Ashe was supposed to make it known that he was following me or not, but for the next few days I could feel his eyes on me wherever I went. He was either a terrible stalker, or making himself known to scare me.

Maybe I should’ve continued seeing my therapist, because I didn’t feel scared at all. If anything, I was constantly fucking turned on by knowing that he was following me.

I could barely focus on anything at work because my mind kept running away with scenarios of what he might have done if he happened to catch me alone.

Not that Theo would ever let that happen.

While I had softened to him a little bit after our talk, his constant presence was still irritating. Like a fly buzzing around your face day after day.

I kept waiting for Ashe to show up in my apartment again, but he never did. Instead, he was just constantly in my peripherals. Across the street from BoredHeaux. A few paces behind me on the highway. Hiding in shadows in alleys and hallways.

I never let him know that I knew, though, for fear of ruining our game.

Larissa was putting through a customer’s sale when Theo got a phone call on a slow Friday morning. I continued to fix the hangers on the display rack, but my ears perked up and listened in.

“No, I haven’t seen any.” Theo turned away, heading to the corner of the store as if that would prevent me from hearing his conversation.

A long pause.

“I’ll be there in ten.”

I smiled to myself, but quickly composed it before Theo headed back onto the main floor and approached me, stuffing his phone into his jean pocket. His eyes darted round, and I noted that he must have been checking the function of the security cameras.

The customer left, lips pursed after the less-than-friendly interaction with Larissa, but a bag full of goodies regardless. After the shop was empty and the door swung closed behind her, Theo cleared his throat.

“Mmm?” I hummed, acting uninterested.

“I need to head out for a bit. Your brother is holding an emergency meeting and needs everyone there.”

“Okay,” I shrugged.

I was doing an amazing job at appearing casual, but I was already reeling with excitement.