“Shit. How’d they find out already?” The reporters go nuts the second they see my Lotus. “Oh crap. Here we go.”

Jack’s leaned back, one knee higher than the other, his arm languidly lodged in the open window, fingers touching the hood, eyes on the paparazzi mob. Of course some of Rue’s neighbors are standing outside, too. One of them motions for another to look, as we pull up. There is no inflection in Jack’s voice as he says casually, “I’ll get her.”

I’m wary. His attitude is unreadable. Never a good sign. I can always read him. Without arguing, I pull over and double park. “I’ll get her.”

He cuts a smirk to me. “You think I’m scary?”

“I think she doesn’t know what’s about to hit her. This is nothing. And you aren’t helping.” I slide up out of the car and put my sunglasses on, strolling into the throng as I’ve done a million times. I’m instantly recognized, but the glasses shield my disdain. Paparazzi are the vilest creatures on the planet. Making a buck off someone else’s misery and joy is a strange way to pay the rent.

“Sean!” “SEAN!” “OVER HERE, SEAN!” “Did you know you had a poor half-sister?” “What did you think when you heard she took your inheritance?” “Sean! Did you know your father was unfaithful?” “DID YOU KNOW ABOUT HIS PLANS TO LEAVE HER EVERYTHING?”

They threw the right bait and caught the fish. “He didn’t leave her everything. She didn’t take our inheritance. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

They go nuts. Fuck. Why’d I have to fall into the trap?

Jack comes up behind me, shouting, “Alright! You guys want to have a photo of the family?”

Now they go absolutely fucking bonkers. The worst version of bonkers. I throw him an incredulous look and struggle through the tight cluster that’s by her door so I can knock. She doesn’t open it. “Rue! It’s Sean and Jack. It’s okay. Open up.”

Through the door, I hear a muffled, “No way!”

I put both my hands on it and throw Jack a look. “I swear I’ll protect you. Now let’s get out of here. They’ll never leave you alone if you stay.”

The door opens a crack and she peers out to make sure it’s really me. Then her eyes slide to where Jack’s behind me. He’s got one hand in his pocket and the other scratching his growing stubble.

I lean in so she can hear my advice over the noise, saying in a whisper for only her ears, “Come out. Hold your head high like you don’t give a fuck about them. Like you’re above them. And you are. You got it?”

“My friend is in here,” she informs me quietly. “They think we’re gay lovers.”

I can’t help but smile. “Have her stay until you’ve left. We’ll meet her another time.”

Jenna’s head pops up from the side and she smiles and waves and rolls her eyes at the insanity behind us. I jerk my chin up as a form of hello, simultaneously letting her know we’ll have better introductions another time.

She seems to get it, which is indicative of her character. It’s only the ones who fall all over themselves that we have to look out for. Well, not only them, but that’s a good indicator of needed caution.

Behind me, getting irritated by the repeated yelling of our names, Jack urges us, “Come on. Let’s get out of here.” I quickly look over my shoulder, the voices of the crowd deafening. Even Jack’s now showing fear.

I turn to Rue. “Come on. Do as I told you. Okay?”

She nods, but her eyes are as big as dinner plates and she looks sixteen instead of twenty-one. Her hand slides through the crack. I look down and realize she wants me to take it. I reach for it, grasp it tight and she comes out wearing a black dress that falls to the middle of her thighs and cuts low. I glance to Jack and see him looking away quickly, averting his eyes from checking out his sister.

I guide her out of the apartment and turn to the masses. The explosion of cameras flashing when Jack bows, and takes her other hand, is something to behold.

Rue is very surprised he did that, but she does what I told her. Her neck extends, and she smiles at the cameras.

Jack and I give our normal smirks and hit a couple of the usual poses we know look good.

“Okay, let’s go!”

We all start pushing through and the sea parts.