Page 68 of The Elusive Billionaire

“What? No.” Savvy’s hand fists at her chest. I know she’s protective of Clover, and though I don’t know all the details, I know enough to understand that Clover is more fragile than either Savvy or Madi.

Quinn shrugs, then turns to leave. “That’s what she said. They haven’t been able to reach you,” she calls over her shoulder.

Everyone in the room begins patting their pockets, while Sage hands Savvy hers. How did we all leave our phones, which are typically glued to our hands, in my office?

I’m already pulling my car keys from my pocket when I meet Savvy’s gaze and know instantly that something’s wrong. Grabbing her by the elbow, I forgo retrieving my own phone, yell for Braxton to grab it for me, and guide her out of the office, into the elevator, and toward my car.

She doesn’t speak until I attempt to buckle her into my passenger seat. Swatting my hands away, she blinks as though she’s coming out of a trance. “I’m fine, I can do it.”

I release her and hurry to my side of the car.

“We’ll meet you at Clover’s,” Braxton calls. Looking up, I see him ushering a shell-shocked Madi into his car with Sage close behind.

Once in the driver’s seat, I start the ignition, then turn to Savvy. “What did Clover say?”

She stares at me for a long moment, then shows me the screen.

It takes me a moment to understand what I’m looking at, but once I do, anger fills my every pore.

The photo is of a box containing what appears to be a wedding dress with a knife jammed into the center of it, holding a note in place. The note says: Obsession is forever, and mine is written in the blood of others.

“Send that to me,” I say, then put the car in reverse and speed out of the parking garage.

I don’t believe in coincidences, and this has DeVane written all over it. They just signed their own death certificates. No one threatens what’s mine, and since Savvy is now mine, that means, by proxy, so is Clover.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

SAVVY

As soon asGrey brings the car to an abrupt stop, I jump out. Clover and Chief are already on the porch with Pops, who’s pacing back and forth.

“Where is it?” I ask, rushing up the steps. Grey’s scorching body heat sticks to me like a shadow—inseparable, yet impossible to reach.

Clover pulls her cardigan tightly around herself. It’s her coping mechanism, but since she bought all the Taylor Swift versions covered in stars, it makes her look even smaller and younger than she is.

“It was on the porch,” she says, pointing to where our mailboxes hang in between our two front doors.

I haven’t seen our duplex since the hurricane hit, and while Clover’s half looks unaffected, there are windows boarded up on my side.

Cian must have been busy this past week.

Car doors slam behind me as Braxton, Madi, and Sage arrive.

“Who was it addressed to?” Grey asks, flipping the cover over with the toe of his shoe.

“There was no name, so I opened it,” Clover whispers. Madi takes the porch steps two at a time and wraps her arms around Clover.

Fear makes my vision blur as I stare at the box on the floor. There’s something strangely familiar about it. Something I can’t quite put my finger on.

“Clover,” Madi says gently. “That quote, on the note, isn’t that from one of your books?”

“The fuck?” Grey bellows, causing Clover to shrink in on herself even more.

I elbow him in the gut, willing him with my eyes to calm down before he triggers my poor friend even more.

Clover’s shoulders curl in as though she’s trying to turn herself into a ball. “Yeah, it’s fromMy Deadly Vow.”

“Let me get this straight.” Grey’s foot taps a menacing beat against the wooden planks. “Monroe and I have a possible mole and an ex out to ruin us, and now Clover has a stalker? In Happiness, Georgia?”