Page 12 of In Case You Didn't Know

“And you don’t punish Shaun for this,” I add. “His wife is pregnant, he needs this job.”

Asher’s brows lift for a heartbeat. “He has a pregnant wife? How do you know that?”

“We talked. I know, it’s a crazy concept, talking to the man posted at my door.”

He runs his thumb over his jaw, still looking at me. Why do the glasses make him seem so much more intense? “Okay, I’ll take him off the door if you agree not to go to the Ivory Rooms again.”

I fold my arms across my chest. I had zero plans of returning but he doesn’t know that. But still, it’s late and I’m actually feeling tired.

“And Shaun?” I ask.

“He won’t be punished.”

“Good.” I nod, turning to walk away. Because my job here is done, and truth be told, I’m feeling a little sheepish now. “Thank you.”

But before I can walk away, his fingers close gently around my wrist, heat flaring where we touch. “One more thing,” he says, his voice low enough to vibrate through my body. “If anything feels off. Anything at all, you call the police and then you call me.”

I swallow hard. “Even if it’s the middle of the night?”

His eyes lock on mine. “Especially then.”

“I’m a grown up, Asher. I can take care of myself,” I say softly. But the tightness in his jaw doesn’t give.

“Please,” he requests softly. And that’s what does me in.

I nod once, trying to ignore the way his voice pierces my chest. “Okay,” I agree. “I’ll call if anything happens. But you need to promise that we’ll never, ever talk about this again.”

“Never,” he agrees, even as his thumb grazes the inside of my wrist in a silent promise I feel everywhere, before he lets me go.

I back into the elevator and hit the lobby button, the air crackling between us. He holds my gaze until the doors slide shut and the last sliver of his face disappears.

I exhale and lean my forehead against the cool, mirrored wall for the moment it takes to reach the ground floor. It’s over. Things can go back to normal now, right? I can forget about the Ivory Rooms and the security detail and every other stupid thing that’s happened to me over the last few days.

And get back to writing my book.

five

FRANCIE

Two weeks vanish in a blur of word counts and deadline coffee. Theres no sign of Panther or any other club creeps. Just me, my laptop, and two brisk check-ins from Asher that I answer with equal frost.

I send off my opening chapters andthat sceneto Alice, with my fingers crossed and nerves shredded. Autumn demands that I come stay with her to celebrate on the little island of Liberty right off the east coast, where she and her brothers grew up.

“Pack a bag and get to Liberty Island, the mainland can spare you,” she tells me. And to be honest, I need the break. A ferry ride, sea air, and zero deadlines sound like the perfect way to stop fretting about how long it will take for Alice to get back to me, and instead spend some time with the friend I love the most.

As the ferry bumps against the dock and I walk off, Autumn barrels toward me, salt wind whipping her hair. She collides with me in a hug that smells of sunscreen and home.

“Oh my God, it’s so good to see you!” she says.

“I missed you,” I reply, pulling back to take her in. She’s glowing. Married life and salt air agree with her. And eventhough she’s in the middle of planning a full blown Disney Princess extravaganza for her niece’s sixth birthday, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her happier.

“Come on, I stole Hudson’s car,” she says, grabbing my hand and towing me toward the giant black Range Rover. “Ayda’s in full Elsa mode, and I’m hanging on by a tiara thread.”

I laugh. “How many people are coming to this party?”

“Two hundred or so.”

My mouth drops open. “She hasthatmany friends?” For a child who’s been mute since watching her mother die and recently moved back to Liberty, that’s a lot of people to already know.