Holly stared out the window, the incessant downpour further dampening her spirits. The news headlines were once again focused on Anna Sanders’s disappearance. Even though the media had no knowledge yet of the threat against all Australian female celebrities, kidnapping theories still abound.

It had been two weeks since Anna had been taken, and Bill and Anna’s parents were still negotiating with her captors regarding their impossible-to-meet ransom demand: fifty million dollars. So much for saying they wanted female celebrities to repent their sins. All they wanted was the freaking money.

On the positive side, Anna appeared unharmed, the captors having sent a video of her to Bill.

However, they’d threatened to kidnap someone else if they couldn’t get what they wanted from Anna’s loved ones. And with Holly being one of the wealthier celebrities, the police were concerned she’d be the next target. That was why they were happy to give all this information to her family. They wanted her to take extra care.

She’d be in trouble too if she were kidnapped. She didn’t have fifty million dollars in cash lying around. It would take ages to liquidate her and her family’s assets to come up with that kind of money.

Holly’s parents had been freaking out about the whole thing. They had suggested that Holly stay somewhere secret until this ended.

Holly had to admit that there was merit to hiding somewhere else. Kidnappers aside, the most die-hard of her OZs had been doing silly things. Even with all this rain, two of her female fans were camped outside her house in their respective cars. They’d decided to patrol her street to “protect” her from meeting the same fate as Anna.

She feared for both their safety and their over-enthusiasm. They didn’t know their boundaries, and she had no idea how to help them see they shouldn’t be doing this for her. Didn’t they have families to look after?

She smiled sadly. More than likely, they were lonely and alone, and this kind of thing made them think they had something to live for.

But it wasn’t right. So she was seriously considering her mother’s suggestion to stay somewhere else so those ladies would go home.

She didn’t like all the places suggested to her, though. Both her and her parents’ country retreats were too far from the city. She still needed to go to the studio to do some work on her new album, and she didn’t want to be too isolated.

A hideaway within the greater Sydney area would be ideal. But she agreed with Xavier that going to hotels or renting from unknown people was a security risk. Better to stay at properties belonging to friends she completely trusted. Unfortunately, it was hard to find the perfect place that offered privacy, seclusion and location.

Her front gate started opening, and she hastily went to grab her bag. Xavier and Eve were here to pick her up for Jaxon’s housewarming party. They’d insisted on it instead of Bryce having to drive her.

She hurried out and climbed at the back of the car. “Hey, guys,” she said cheerfully, kissing them both before putting on her seatbelt.

“How are you?” Eve asked.

“Good. We better wave to my OZs. That’s the least I could do when they’re still camping out there in this weather.”

“You shouldn’t encourage them, Hols,” Xavier said. “The more you pay attention, the more they’d want to do things for you that aren’t safe.”

“I know,” she said with a heavy breath. She did smile at the ladies as they wound down their windows to try and peer into the vehicle she was in.

“One’s going to follow us,” Xavier said, glancing at the rearview mirror. “What? She thinks we’ve kidnapped you?”

Holly shook her head. “Maybe I should stay somewhere else for a while.”

“Yes,” both Xavier and Eve said.

Xavier drove faster, constantly checking his mirrors. He weaved in and out of traffic, then turned abruptly onto a street. Speeding a bit, he made a couple more turns before easing his way onto the road they were supposed to be on. “We’ve lost her,” he announced.

“Wow. I can see now why Eve said you’re much better than an actual bodyguard,” Holly teased.

“Stay with us for a while,” Eve implored. “Then Xave can be your security guy too. It’ll make us feel better.”

“Then have my OZs and the paps camp outside your place? You’re a reporter, Eve. You’re supposed to report goings-on, not be in the news. I’m sure I’ll find somewhere else suitable.”

“It can’t be at your parents’,” Eve said with a sigh. “Reporters have been ringing their doorbell, wanting to get a story.”

“I have an idea,” Xavier said.

“Uh-huh?”

“Jax’s place at Avalon will be perfect. It’s totally private. The house is surrounded by trees and it can’t be seen from the road.”

Holly’s heart skipped a beat. Instantly, the thought of staying at Jaxon’s place appealed to her.

But Jaxon didn’t want her.

“I don’t think he’d want me there,” she said nonchalantly.

“Why not?” Xavier asked. “He plans for it to be an Airbnb, so you’d just rent it from him.”

“Would Holly be safe there on her own?” Eve asked.

“As long as no one knows she’s there. But we’ll get security personnel to check up the place often—maybe even station someone close by. They’d have to be inconspicuous, though, or people would be curious and nose around to find out who’s staying there.”

“How big is the house?” Holly asked.

“It’s two stories. The upstairs has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a big open-plan living, dining and kitchen, and a wrap-around balcony. Then there’s a self-contained two-bedroom apartment downstairs, next to a three-car garage.”

“Oh, good. Maybe Bryce can stay with me, then. He can stay downstairs.”

Xavier glanced back at her with a frown. “You hardly know the man.”

“And where will the security personnel you’re thinking of hiring station himself? Outside? As if no one would notice a strange car with a strange man sitting out there all day and night. That’s hardly inconspicuous. Besides, Bryce won’t exactly be staying with me. He’ll be downstairs.”

Xavier scratched his head. “Well, I still don’t agree, but we can discuss it more later. At this point, though, Jax’s place is your best bet. Unless you go outside of Sydney, where you’ll have more choices.”

“No. I can’t. I need to be close to the studio.”

“You can take a longer break from work.”

“I’ve already made commitments, and I don’t want to break them.”

They all sighed as they lapsed into silence.

Xavier played the radio and Holly allowed herself to hum along with the music. When one of Anna’s songs came up, her eyes misted. She sang along more loudly, and Eve and Xavier joined her.

More upbeat, they continued to sing with the music—with Eve picking songs they all knew—until they got to their destination.

“Here we are,” Xavier announced, turning through an open gate and cruising down a driveway flanked by trees and native plants.

The place wasn’t manicured, in the sense that the greenery didn’t look planned. It simply felt like they were going through natural bushland.

“Wow.” Holly breathed, feeling calmer by the surroundings.

Several vehicles were already parked at the front of a pretty weatherboard-clad house and Xavier found a spot for his car. Fortunately, the rain had eased up a little, and their big umbrellas were enough to keep them dry.

“Hey, guys!” Jaxon called out, waving from the porch on the second floor.

“Nice place, Jax,” Eve said as they climbed the outdoor stairs.

“Thanks,” Jaxon said, kissing Eve hello. “But unfortunately, the weather’s crap. I was hoping we could all walk to the beach later.”

“How far is the beach from here?” Holly asked, closing her wet umbrella and putting it in a tall bin by the door.

“Only a few minutes,” Jaxon said as he gave her a peck on the cheek. “Once you get out of the gate at the back, it’s the beach already.”

“It’s a bit of a hike to get to the farthest boundary, though,” Xavier quipped. “The backyard’s huge. He could build a mansion there.”

“Is that a plan?” Holly asked.

“Nah,” Jaxon said. “I wouldn’t want to get rid of all those trees. They’re what gives this place privacy.”

“Speaking of privacy…” Xavier clapped Jaxon’s shoulders and led him back inside. “I’d like to talk to you when you get a chance.”

“You don’t have to agree with him, Jax,” Holly said hurriedly.

“Agree with what?” Jaxon asked.

“It’s private, so later,” Xavier said in a low voice before they all walked in.

Holly was pleased to see that all the guests were her buddies too. She was glad that Jaxon had grown close to some of her and Xavier’s mutual friends. Had Jaxon limited his guest list to these select people because of her? If he had, she bet Xavier had had something to do with it.

Jaxon gave them a tour of the house. Unfortunately, the rain prevented them from stepping out the back. Holly could see what Xavier had meant, though. From the balcony, it felt like they were in the middle of a forest. She did catch glimpses of the sea through the branches and leaves, but not the beach. And she couldn’t even make out the neighbours’ homes on either side, although they weren’t that far away. Clearly, no one from outside the property’s fences could possibly see the house, much less its residents. It was indeed the perfect hideaway.

Board games were brought out when everyone was full from the delicious catered food. Holly decided to play Pictionary with a group, hoping Jaxon would join them. But she spotted him going with Xavier into one of the bedrooms.

Half an hour later, Holly took a break from the games to grab some more dessert.

The two men still hadn’t reappeared. She hoped that Xavier wasn’t trying to force Jaxon into agreeing. Jaxon might have other plans—including keeping her at arm’s length, which might mean not wanting her to stay on his property.

Her heart pinched. No matter how much she tried to rationalise it in her head, it still hurt that Jaxon didn’t want her.

Finally, the two came out.

“Sorry, guys,” Jaxon said. “Didn’t mean to be a bad host.”

“Oh, were you gone?” Derek McCarthy said teasingly. “I’m still busy eating. Who’s the caterer?”

“No idea. My PA picked them,” Jaxon said with a laugh.

Holly sat back in a comfortable chair and listened to the different conversations going on around her. But her attention kept going back to Jaxon. So did he approve of her staying here or not? Would he even talk to her about it or would he leave it to Xavier?

How sad if Jaxon felt he couldn’t have a one-on-one conversation with her. Perhaps she’d taken her flirtation too far and made him uncomfortable.

Jaxon put his drink down and approached her. “Hey, Hols, do you have a minute?”

She hid a smirk. Just when she was thinking he was trying to avoid her…

She stood to follow him. To her surprise, he led her to the downstairs suite.

“Hopefully no one will think anything of us being alone down here,” he joked as he closed the door.

Her brows rose, but she kept her mouth shut, lest he think she was flirting with him again.

“So,” Jaxon said with a sigh. “Xavier told me you’re considering this place as your hideaway.”

She smiled. “Only if you don’t have other plans for it. I’m happy to pay full price, of course.”

Jaxon waved away her comment. “It’s all fine. I haven’t got the ball rolling on installing security cameras around the perimeter yet, but I’ll act on it as soon as possible.”

“There’s no need to go through that trouble when I’ll only be here for a short time. Besides, I already have a bodyguard. Like I mentioned to Xavier, Bryce can stay down here. I’m sure he can be trusted.”

“No, he can’t stay down here. Because I’ll be staying down here.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“After staying here the last couple of nights, I realised the drive to the city wasn’t as bad as I thought. So I decided not to include this downstairs area for the Airbnb. I want to be able to come and unwind whenever I feel like it. The only time I’ll be staying at my city apartment is when I have early morning or late night meetings. For the rest of the time, I’ve decided to come home here regardless of whether or not people are staying upstairs. This place is just so relaxing.”

“Oh.” Her heart was suddenly beating wildly. Jaxon would be here with her a lot. Not that she was imagining them socialising all the time—

Well, okay, she was already thinking about that. But even though they’d be in different living spaces, bottom line was he’d still be in the same building.

And he was worried for her, ready to go the extra mile for her security—

Oh, shut up, Holly.

What had happened to her personal promise not to flirt with Jaxon anymore? All he’d done was be a little concerned about her—undoubtedly with Xavier’s insistence—and here she was letting hope wake up from its slumber again.

Not only that, she was once more gazing straight into his eyes. That wasn’t her fault though. She couldn’t help it because he was looking at her like…

She broke their eye-to-eye contact. She couldn’t go there again. That would be extra stupid.

“Hols—”

They were interrupted by a rapid knock on the door before Xavier came barging in.

Holly’s breath caught. Something was wrong.

“The police was trying to call you,” Xavier said, holding up her phone. “They said that the two OZs camping outside your house were attacked.”

“What?” she asked in shock.

“The cameras by your gate caught two hooded guys approaching them. At first, they just appeared to talk to them. Then the hoodlums started hitting them.”

Tears formed in her eyes. “How are they?”

“They were taken to the hospital and they’re okay,” Xavier said distractedly. “There’s something else.”

“What?”

“Your next-door neighbour, Mrs. Mallery, said she thought someone’s been in her backyard. Some of the plants along your shared fence looked trampled upon. The police thinks that someone was checking out ways to get to your place without being detected.

The hairs on Holly’s arms stood. Someone was really after her?

“I don’t think you should go home. It might not be safe.”

“But Mrs. Mallery only has a security camera on her front door. My place is more secure than that.”

“We have to assume Anna’s kidnappers are behind this. They’re obviously wanting to get into your house, so why would you want to go back there?”

“Yeah, not a good idea,” Jaxon piped in. “And upstairs is ready for you at any time.”

“You don’t have the cameras set up yet,” Xavier said.

Holly scowled at her brother. “Don’t pressure him into doing something totally unnecessary.”

“I really don’t mind,” Jaxon said.

“This place already looks secure enough with cameras at the gate and front doors,” she reasoned. “I think cameras in the backyard would just be overkill.”

“No, they won’t be,” Jaxon said, hands on hips. “Why would they be overkill when they’re going to keep you safe?”

Her heart skipped. Why was Jaxon being overprotective?

Call her a hopeless romantic, but her heart was dancing in her chest right now. Jaxon had to care about her, to be acting like Xavier—

Who was her brother.

Her burst of excitement fizzled. Perhaps Jaxon saw her as a little sister? Why else would he care this much, yet not respond to her flirtations?

Ugh. Being thought of as a sibling was so much worse.

“Eve and I can pack your stuff for you,” Xavier said. “Just tell us what you need and we’ll pick it up and hand it to Jax. That should minimise some risks. We won’t want to alert anybody that you’re here.”

“Okay,” she said resignedly. “I have to call Christine and ask her to send flowers and gift baskets to my OZs.”

“I’ll ask Eve to do that while I talk to Mum and Dad. We don’t want them hearing anything in the news and panicking. You and Jax continue to discuss your arrangement for your stay here.” Xavier walked out the door.

Holly dropped on the couch wearily. “I do need to let Bryce know I’m here.”

Jaxon let out a heavy sigh.

She arched a brow, intrigued. “What? Don’t tell me you also don’t trust him? You and he got along great at Xavier’s gym the other day.”

“Sure. But like Xavier said, we don’t know much about him.”

“Don’t forget he’s been checked out by a respected security company. He’s about the most trustworthy person I can think of right now, besides family and my closest friends.”

“Fine. But there’s no way he’s staying here with you.”

“Aw, Jax. You’re not gonna stop me from dating anyone, are you?” God, she just couldn’t help herself, could she?

Jaxon blanched. “Holly, he works for you. It’s not right. And I don’t think you should date anyone until this is all over.”

Her jaw dropped. “Excuse me, but you have no right to say that.”

Jaxon ran a hand over his face. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean it that way. Someone is after you, most likely the same people who took Anna. Better to be safe than sorry.”

“Okay, I get that. But Bryce has been vetted by Smith Security. I don’t know how many times I need to remind you guys of that. That’s as good as knowing him. Plus, he’s a genuinely nice guy.”

Jaxon’s lips formed into what appeared to be a pout. “You don’t need Bryce if I’m gonna be staying here too.”

Her heart banged around inside her chest. Was Jaxon jealous? Of course, she might only be imagining it, but she couldn’t help the thrill that ran through her.

Stop. Freaking. Hoping! It’s probably just a brotherly kind of thing!

“Okay,” she said. “That means we won’t need to change our original arrangement.”

“What arrangement?”

“I still need a bodyguard when I leave the house.”

Jaxon scowl deepened.

She stared at him, annoyed that he was confusing the hell out of her.

He’s rejected you many times already. He’s probably doing it for Xavier, not you.

Ah, yes, that was entirely possible. Good thing they had their own separate spaces in this house. As long as Jaxon didn’t bring a woman home with him—

Oh God. What would she do if that happened?