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I could only assume that most of his days revolved around the MC, though I had no real idea of what that entailed.

After looking at my phone, I noticed the time but couldn’t muster the energy enough to rush around and get ready. I was going to be late, and I couldn’t really care.

Larissa had a key to the shop, and I knew that I could trust her to get everything sorted and open without me being there.

We’d fallen into an easy way of operating in our many years of working together. She would duck out early if given the chance, and I would often show up late.

Usually, I would not be stressing. But the two text messages from Theo on my phone made me more nervous than I would ever admit to anyone.

The whole leg-rubbing incident yesterday was mild compared to other things I’d experienced. Hell, it was nothing compared to what some women have faced.

But it was more so the energy behind the action, that subtle layer of whatever Theo was trying to silently communicate that made my bones ache with dread.

I did not want to see him.

He would already be waiting in the parking garage below. It would be impossible to avoid him. And it would be even harder to approach the interaction while also staying calm.

I am not a quiet woman.

I am not against putting men in their place.

I have yelled, I have slapped, I havebarkedat men who had made me or any of my friends uncomfortable. But Theo wasn’t some random guy in the club.

Theo was an employee of my brother and therefore dangerous. But I also had this new gut instinct that he was behind The EA somehow, which added a whole other layer of complication to the incident.

I tried ringing Toni three times, but he didn’t answer. I tried ringing Rome, and nothing.

And what would I say, anyway?

“Hey, I’m scared of the bodyguard you assigned me. Can I get a replacement?”

I knew my brother well enough to know that he would take me seriously if I truly had a problem with Theo, if I told him about the incident. But right now, we had a possible member of The EA right in the palm of our hands.

If I told Toni or Rome what had happened, they probably would’ve just shot him in the head before I had a chance to explain everything. But if they did, that opportunity to find out the truth would be gone.

If Theo really was a member of The EA like my intuition was telling me he was, then the smartest thing my brother could do would be keep him close.

Who knew mob life was so complicated?

No wonder my father greyed so early.

I considered just locking myself in my apartment and calling in sick, but I knew that Theo would just come up and let himself in.

With his key.

Fuck. He had a key to my apartment.

I rang Ashe.

The tone sounded once before he answered.

“What’s wrong?”

The concern in his voice warmed me, but it also had tears pricking at my eyes immediately. I realised then just how alone I had felt all my life. Just how much I had been disregarded by almost everyone.

Sure, I was the baby of the family, the princessa that everyone had to protect. But what about when I didn’t need protection? What about when I just needed reassurance, someone to talk to, a fucking break from everything?

“I don’t want to get in the car with him,” I said, and Ashe grunted in response.