Page 5

June

F ifteen hours of driving later Raj and I arrived at Myrtle Beach just after midnight.

The journey had been quiet and uneventful after we set off from Wendy’s, which suited me just fine.

Raj and I had exchanged a few casual conversations along the way, but nothing too personal. That was how I preferred it.

When Raj dropped me off at Lincoln and Chloe’s beach house, Chloe handed him a brown paper bag—which I could only assume contained the money. As much as I wanted to invite him to stay, I held back. It wasn’t my house, and I had no right to offer him shelter.

Chloe gave me a quick hug and led me through the massive hallway into their open kitchen.

I sank silently onto a stool at the kitchen island, watching as she busied herself with quiet efficiency.

The house was as sleek and elegant as I remembered—high ceilings, marble countertops, and a faint scent of the ocean wafting in through the open balcony doors.

A few moments later, she placed a cup of chamomile tea in front of me. Only then did I realize what she was doing—trying to calm me down. My mind was too restless for that. “I think I need something stronger. Can I have a coffee?”

Chloe frowned lightly but obliged. “Okay.”

She plugged in the coffee machine, filled it with decaf, and pressed the start button, then immediately removed the plug from the wall once the coffee was done.

I almost protested. Decaf wouldn’t clear the fog clouding my thoughts.

But I stayed quiet, observing the delicate way she handled the machine.

After all these years, Chloe still hadn’t fully got over her fear of fire. Who could blame her? If I had lived through two major fires, I’d be cautious too.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” Chloe said softly, sliding the mug across the counter to me.

“Thanks. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I had someone watching over you,” she admitted, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “But I knew?—”

“You knew I’d hate it if I found out.”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “Lincoln wanted to send one of his guys, but I thought it would be better coming from me. Don’t you think?”

I forced out a small chuckle. “You’re right. The idea of my big brother knowing everything I do would drive me insane.”

Chloe adjusted the champagne-colored nightgown she wore, pulling the silky robe tighter around her waist. Her figure was as stunning as ever, even after her pregnancy.

“But if it weren’t for Wendy’s cousin, I don’t know where I’d be right now.”

“Don’t be silly. That’s why Raj was the perfect person for the job. He isn’t restricted by any code or rules like a regular bodyguard. He’s just a friend, looking out for another friend.”

“How did you know I’d run out of the airport?” I asked. The thought had been nagging me since I got in Raj’s car. “Did you put a tracker on me or something?”

“I didn’t,” she laughed lightly. “Believe it or not, we didn’t think you would have any trouble at the airport. It was luck that Raj wanted to wait, just in case.”

“So, Raj… Is that his real name?” I tilted my head, curious.

“Yes, why?”

“I thought it was fake.” The decaf was surprisingly effective. My mind felt sharper.

Chloe grinned. “Odd, right? His adoptive parents gave him that name. He has a birth name, but he doesn’t use it.”

“So, no dumpster story?” I joked, remembering the tale Raj had spun.

“Dumpster?” Chloe’s confused expression told me that part of his story had been pure fiction.

“Never mind. Enough about Raj. Is Lincoln awake? I need to talk to him.”

“June, you look exhausted. You should rest first.”

“No, I need to talk to my brother,” I insisted.

Chloe hesitated, concern clouding her face. “Are you sure? Whatever you need, we can handle it tomorrow.”

“I won’t be able to sleep if I don’t talk to him,” I said, my voice rising. “Lincoln! Link!”

“Shhh! The kids are asleep.” Chloe reached across the island, brushing her manicured fingers against my cheek to quiet me.

“Get Link,” I whispered.

“Fine. Just wait here.”

I could have stormed upstairs and found him myself, but the house was enormous. And knowing their… intimate hobbies, the last thing I wanted was to stumble upon my brother in a compromising situation. Naked. Tied up. Ew.

Two minutes later, Lincoln appeared, dressed in grey-and-white striped pajamas. Seeing him like that brought back memories of childhood sleepovers when Chloe used to stay with us. Back then, he was the bossy older brother who always knew best—some things never changed.

“Juney,” he said, pulling me into a hug. His arms wrapped around me tightly, the warmth of his embrace easing some of the tension coiled inside me. “You okay? I was worried sick.”

“I’m fine. See? Still in one piece.” I wiggled my fingers for emphasis, trying to lighten the mood. But my voice cracked lightly, betraying how far from fine I really felt.

Lincoln leaned back, scanning my face with that sharp, assessing gaze he reserved for boardrooms and family emergencies. “Why were you at the airport?”

“I was planning to go to Shanghai,” I admitted. My heart pounded as I rushed into the next part. “And that’s why I need to ask—can I borrow your plane?”

His expression didn’t change. Damn, he had a good poker face. Not even a flicker of surprise.

“You want to borrow my plane?”

“I can’t fly it myself, obviously. I mean, I need a private plane to China. Your pilot. The whole package.”

A faint noise drifted down from upstairs—a thump, followed by the sound of quick, light footsteps. Lincoln’s head tilted slightly, his brow furrowing.

“Hang on,” he murmured stepping past me.

“They should be asleep,” Lincoln muttered under his breath, but there was no real annoyance in his voice—just the kind of exasperation only a parent could feel.

He started up the stairs but paused midway, turning back down.

“Hold that thought. I need to make sure no one’s trying to break my house rules. ”

I couldn’t help but smile as he disappeared.

When he returned, he shook his head with a mixture of fondness and frustration. “They’re conspiring against me. Apparently, bedtime is just a suggestion.”

I laughed softly, feeling strange seeing this side of my brother for the first time. “Well, you always did have a problem with authority.”

He snorted.

“Yeah, and now I’m the authority no one listens to.” His smile faded. “About the private jet—yes.”

“Thank you” I jumped up and wrapped my arms around him, kissing his cheek.

“Don’t thank me yet,” he warned, pushing me away. “You need to answer all my questions first. No answers, no deal.”

I groaned. “Why can’t you just do me a favor without making it complicated?”

“Because I care about you,” he said, brushing his hand along my upper arm.

“Fine. What do you need to know?”

I told him everything about wrecking my Tesla, luring Dave out of hiding, the fake airport security, and Mack. I held nothing back.

“You were lucky Raj was there,” Lincoln said after a pause.

“You could say that. I owe all of you—Raj, Chloe and you. Happy now?”

My big brother gave me his usual big brother smirk.

“Cranky, aren’t we? When was the last time you slept?” Lincoln teased.

“I slept alright. Maybe not enough.” I sighed, realizing how much I still needed his help. Without Lincoln, without Chloe, I was nothing but a woman chasing ghosts.

“You know, Kai is probably fine. Nothing would ever happen to him without one of his bodyguards being there to stop it. That much I know.”

“You don’t know that.” I said.

Lincoln shrugged and rolled his eyes—it was his “I know I’m right” look. Or was it his “I’m older, so you should listen to me” look? Either way, it was strangely comforting to see that expression again. I guessed that was what a big brother was for.

Lincoln probably thought he knew better than anyone, having been around him for so long I knew that’s what he thought.

But this time it felt different. Kai didn’t seem like the same person I used to know.

He was still playful when that side of him came through, but there was something else—something heavier —like he’d matured overnight.

Or maybe it had happened over the three years we’d had no contact.

Was that possible? Could people really change so much?

“What’s your plan when you get to Shanghai now?” Chloe asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

“I don’t know.” A surge of guilt swept through me. I hadn’t even thought about Dave and his team until now. How could I be so selfish?

“I was actually just going to follow Dave around. He’d know where to start looking for Kai.

” My voice cracked, and a fresh wave of tears pricked my eyes.

“I don’t know what happened to Dave. It’s so fucking unbelievable—he’s done everything to protect me, to help me, and all I could think about was myself. ”

“That’s…” Chloe started but faltered, her mouth hanging open as if she couldn’t find the words. She moved gracefully to my side, brushing her hand along my arm before wrapping me in a warm, reassuring hug.

“His life could be in danger for all I know,” I whispered, guilt thick in my throat.

“When I called the airport, their security said no one had been arrested today. But they did mention some kind of filming happening—a group of influencers making short films,” Chloe said softly.

I blinked at her, stunned. She had taken the initiative to check on Dave when I couldn’t even pull myself together.

“What? Like an Instagram influencer?” I asked, barely processing the information.

“Apparently,” Chloe replied, her voice light but her expression serious.

Lincoln excused himself, leaving Chloe and me alone in the kitchen.

I leaned against the counter, the weight of everything pressing down on me.

“We have to help Dave. Without Kai here, he’s got no one,” I said, though for all I knew, Dave might have a whole network of people supporting him in the U.S.

“Do you want me to call my cousin Marie?”