“You two ever going to actually come inside?” Nando inquires.
Shay arches a brow.
“Security detail. That’s Fernando,” I reply to her unuttered question.
“And just how many
Fernandos are there?”
Rolling my eyes, I tug her inside before answering, “A team will shadow me on campus. Reign, Elias, and Fernando will be my primary guards since they’ll also be enrolled as students.”
“You mean there’s more fine-ass men inside?” She quips, making me snort.
“Let’s do a tour, and then I’ll introduce you.”
We walk around the expansive eight-bedroom house aptly named Bradford Manor. It’s usually used when high-ranking officials and famous people visit campus. However, one call from Dad and this place has become home for the next four years, fully decked out in the latest technology and amenities we might ever need.
“Is that an indoor pool?” Shay aptly questions.
“Yup. Apparently, the one in the back isn’t sufficient,” I quip, passing the glass-enclosed heated space.
Shay bumps my shoulder. “Glad to see Colorado hasn’t zapped you of your sarcasm,” she teases, making me laugh.
“Not a chance. Sarcasm is one of the primary food groups required to meet my daily nutritional value goals. It’s doctor-recommended and approved,” I joke and lead her down the hallway to the gym, equipped with a sparring ring for my training. Now that I’m back in Calloway, Mikhael will once again be tasked with keeping my skills sharp, and I can’t wait to show him what I’ve learned while away.
“Not that I haven’t missed your ass, but are you sure you’re ready to be back?” Shay inquires after we step back into the hallway and head for the game room.
I wait until we’re inside to reply, “You know this had to be done.”
“That’s not what I asked,” she retorts, halting my steps with a hand on my shoulder. “Are you sure this is the only way? You still have time to go to UConn, Yale, or FIT and focus on your fashion designs. Shit, you could even go to Groveton and get far the fuck away from this bullshit altogether. Eva would love the company.”
She’s right. It would be so easy to tuck tail and run. No one would blame me, but to do so would mean looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life, and I won’t do that. Not with what’s at stake.
Turning, I meet Shay’s gaze so she can see the determined set of my jaw.
She needs to recognize the conviction in my gray eyes to understand that running away might appear to be the best solution for most. In this instance, it’s not. Because the road most traveled isn’t always the right path. It’s just the one with the least resistance.
“I have to do this. If I don’t, this shit will continue forever, and it’s about more than just me now. I need to protect my family,” I explain, and for a shadow of a second, I think she’s going to argue, but instead, she nods her understanding.
“So, who else will be our wardens in our time here?” Shay says in an effort to shift the energy in the room.
I give her the rundown on who will be with us and team rotations just as we stop outside of a hidden door.
Staring up, I wait for the panel on the wall to appear for me to place my palm on the scanner. The door slides open, and inside, Reign, Eli, and Nando are watching the wall-to-wall monitors while Davi and Bodhi seem to be discussing plans for the first day of classes tomorrow.
“This is the security room,” I inform Shay, causing everyone to stop and finally acknowledge us.
I introduce Shay to each person on the team.
“Conner and Markus are going over the routes to your classes,” Reign announces. “Once they’re back, we’ll meet to go over the expectations for you to remain living on campus.”
“Like I could ever forget what I agreed to in order to be here,” I mutter.
Before Reign can lecture me again on the importance of following protocol, I drag Shay out of the room and down the hall.
“You’re not a fan of the security detail, I take it,” Shay astutely points out.
“No. The security detail makes sense.”
Shay’s brows scrunch when I glance at her as we walk. “Then what’s with the pout?”
Not wanting to sound like a brat, I change the subject. “Let’s go get something to eat. Then you can tell me how you’re doing now that you’re up and about again, and I can tell you all about my time in Colorado.”
“Fine. I’ll let it slide for now, but we’re going to talk about what your issue is at some point.”
I wring my hands around my wrist until I feel the bite of pain that soothes me. My anxiety is mounting, and I question whether I should be doing any of this for the millionth time because the protection detail isn’t the problem. Shit, Dad’s requirements for me to live on campus aren’t the actual issue here, either.
It’s them. It’s knowing that I’ll undoubtedly see them, and then they’ll know.
We stop in the state-of-the-art kitchen, run by some world-renowned chef and her staff, to grab some snacks before finally making it to Shay’s room.
“A chef? Really?” Shay snickers. “I guess you’re finally accepting you’re now firmly doing rich people shit.” Her joke lightens the tension building as my thoughts spiral.
My lips curl at the truth in her statement. “Fuck. I am, aren’t I?”
We both laugh as we flop down on her king-sized bed. All her things have been delivered, and a team is already beginning to unpack. We spend the first hour catching up on her recovery and the lack of Brendan’s presence.
“So, he what? Fell off the face of the Earth?” I probe, wishing I could find the asshole and knock some sense into him.
“It seems that way. All of his social media accounts have disappeared, and any number I had to reach him has been disconnected. I’ve tried everything short of hiring a private investigator to find him,” she confesses.
I grit my teeth and try to reign in my temper before speaking again. How fucking dare he ghost her after she was shot when she left the party early to spend time with him. “Well, the dumb fuck doesn’t deserve you if you ask me. Now you get to focus on yourself, and when you’re ready, get back out there.”
Another two hours pass as we discuss our class schedules for tomorrow. I missed orientation, and she fills me in on what was covered. The light in the room begins to dim as dusk arrives. I look at my watch and see it’s almost time for dinner. I begin to stand when Shay’s hand lands on my leg, signaling me not to move. I know what’s coming before she even says it.
“Seriously, Ry, are you ready for this?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.