Page 49 of Beautifully Ruined

“Vi,” I take her hand, threading our fingers. “I could easily arrange for someone else to go in.”

“No.” She lifts her head, there’s no anger, but her stubbornness is calm and solid like bedrock. “It makes sense for it to be me. I need another internship, and I can be subtle. I get it. I can do this. And you never know, having someone around Gianna’s age might get him talking.”

“Violet…” I warn.

“If he talks on his own, and if I get that internship.”

Which she knows I’m going to help make happen.

Opening a hidden cupboard, I pull out some glasses, and then open the fridge next to it.

Enzo doesn’t have clients down here, but he has set it up like a place for people to wait or talk shit, and those who he doesn’t know that well will come to this level, which is bland and lacking in personality.

If it’s some Syndicate people, no one wants to be distracted from what we’re doing, and anyone else? He doesn’t want to give away a thing about himself, or let anyone up to where he lives.

But since I’m here with Vi, I’m going to need a drink. “You want something? Juice? Soda? Water? Something hard?”

“Water, please.”

I hand her a bottle, motioning for her to sink down on the sofa.

I pour a drink for myself and sit near her. “Securing you an internship’s going to take a little groundwork. So, hold off on applying until I let you know.”

She bites her lip, but nods, tucking her legs beneath her as she cracks the top for the water. “We need to get this moving.”

“Says the expert.” I smile at her, but then concentrate on my phone, checking a few things.

“She’s out there. And I don’t want to lose the chance for my PhD.”

This time, I swallow my smile as I don’t think she’d appreciate it.

She’ll get that damn degree. They’d be mad not to give it to her. But I also get her anxiousness.

“Maybe take some of the classes you need to do for next semester?”

She rolls her eyes. “I have assignments, but they’re on the internship.”

“Maybe start laying out what you need?—”

“I know how to write assignments.” She sighs, sips her water. “I guess I can collect the reading material I might need. And get a jump start on interning for a congressman over a councilman.”

I’m going to be doing this for her, helping her get an internship with Walsh. But I really don’t want her in danger. Strong or not, I can’t have that.

Thing is, no matter what, it’s not a thing I can prevent. No one can. But I can diminish the threat. Diminish the level of vulnerability.

And knowing where she always is helps that dissipate a little.

While I can’t logistically have her followed twenty-four seven, I can monitor her.

But…it goes two ways.

“Can I have your phone?”

She doesn’t hesitate, instead Vi unlocks it and hands it to me.

It doesn’t take long to download and set up the app I just put on my phone. The app’s safe. It belongs to Enzo’s brain, and this version is not one the rest of the world has.

I only take burners when I’m on a job where being tracked is something we can’t afford.