Page 81 of His Playground

“Okay.” She nods.

“Good girl.” I hold her close to my body.

By the time we make it back out to the foyer, Lailani is holding the elevator door open while Evie has the phone to her ear. And then another phone starts ringing.

“It’s me,” Charlotte says.

“We need to go.” Lailani ushers us inside and presses the button for the underground garage.

When the doors open again, we’re surrounded by men. Five of whom go directly to Evie. “Miss, boss wants you to come with us,” one says.

“I bet he does.” Evie rolls her eyes, her phone tucked back into her pocket. I suspect she was talking to Emmanuel. “I’m staying with them.”

“You’re all coming with us,” the man explains.

We’re led to a lineup of ten SUVs. It’s overkill, but I’m not going to complain if it keeps Jazzy safe.

Once we’re in the back of one of the cars—Charlotte, Lailani, and Evie all piled in with us—I stroke Jazzy’s hair. “You can open your eyes now,” I tell her.

“Where are we going?” she asks, looking around the SUV’s interior.

“To Tío E’s house. He has a surprise waiting for you,” Lailani says.

“A surprise? Is it paper again?” Jazzy scrunches her nose. Last time Emmanuel gave her a surprise, it was a piece of paper, a trust fund. She’s too young to understand the value of that gift.

“I’m not sure,” Lailani says. “He didn’t tell me.”

“Okay.” Jazzy shrugs.

Thirty minutes later, we are pulling through a set of large iron gates, guards lining each side with rifles behind their backs. Something you’d notice only if you were used to seeing men with rifles.

Odd that they’re hiding them.

As soon as we step out of the car, we’re rushed inside the house.

“Miss Evie, welcome back. I have a bottle of your favorite wine on the table in the conservatory along with a tray of your preferred snacks.” A woman in a maid’s uniform greets us.

Charlotte and I turn and look at her. Evie, that is. “Thank you, Maria.” She smiles at the woman before mouthing to Charlotte,“Don’t ask.”

“Oh, you can bet your sweet ass I’m asking,” Charlotte replies.

“Now, you must be Miss Jazzy. I’ve heard all about you, and your Tío E requested that a plate of banana pancakes be waitingfor you upon your arrival. I have those on the table too,”Mariasays.

“Pancakes, yes! That’s a good surprise.” Jazzy smiles.

“Call if you or your friends need anything else, Miss Evie,” Maria adds before disappearing through a door.

“Miss Evie?” Charlotte whispers.

“Not now,” Evie hisses. “Come on, I don’t know about you girls, but I need some wine.”

We follow her through the house, more like a maze that she seems to navigate with ease.

“I’ll, ah, catch up with you. I have something I need to do,” Lailani says. I don’t have time to respond to her before she disappears too.

“It’s always the quiet ones,” Charlotte mutters under her breath.

“Did you know?” I ask her.