Hard Rules

For the next ten minutes we do a walk-through of the remainder of the apartment, including the rooms Jessica has indicated, along with a media room, and the second level, where we find a ridiculous number of bathrooms and bedrooms. Through it all, Shane is reserved, removed even, barely commenting on anything. Finally, we reach the master bedroom, which is another half-moon-shaped room, with a massive four-poster bed in the center, and another balcony to the right. Shane gives it a thirty-second inspection, says nothing, and then crosses the room to the balcony, which he opens and steps outside.

Jessica lets out a frustrated sound and I turn to find her facing me. “I know you two started seeing each other before you showed up at Brandon Enterprises,” she says. “What I don’t know is how well you know him, so let me point out the obvious to me. While other people throw things and curse when they’re angry, this is how Shane does pissed off. The quieter he is, the worse his anger. So what happened and with who?”

Her observations resonate as correct, and since Shane trusts her, I decide to answer. “Something Seth found out and shared right before we got here. I don’t know anything more.”

“If Seth’s involved, it’s bad.”

“Jessica,” Frank shouts from the stairwell.

She grimaces. “I’ll hold off Franky boy out there and give you two some time.”

I nod and she heads for the hallway, while I quickly join Shane on the balcony, seeing nothing but his back, his shoulders bunched under his T-shirt, and his gaze cast over the city.

“What can I say or do?” I ask, joining him, facing his direction, one of my hands closing around the steel railing.

He faces me, and his expression is all hard lines and shadows. “What can you do?”

“Yes. What can I do?”

He pulls me to him, his hands fanning out on my lower back. “You can go home with me, get naked, and stay that way.”

A few days ago his boldness would have flustered me, but not now, and this isn’t about sex anyway. “Will that help?”

“Temporarily,” he says. “Yes.”

His voice is tight, controlled, but his heart thunders beneath my palm. “Then why are we still here?” I ask.

“I was just wondering the same thing.” He cups the back of my head, an action he favors, and one I’ve come to like, and gives me a hard, fast kiss. “I’m going to deal with Frank.” He sets me away from him and just that quickly, he’s gone, and I’m leaning on the railing, watching him depart.

Jessica appears almost instantly, and I turn to face her. “I’m loyal to Shane but we are not, and never were, romantic,” she says.

“I sensed that.”

“He did something for my family in a time of need. A big something and I’m forever loyal. I cannot be turned by his family.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because it doesn’t matter that he’s pretending to use you to protect you. They will try to turn you. They will try to make you think he’s betrayed you in some way, and I have to make sure I’m not a tool they use to do that.”

“They who?” I ask, making sure I’m clear on the exact people she sees as enemies.

“His family and anyone working for them.”

“All of them? Even his mother?”

“I don’t trust any of them. They will make you doubt him.”

“No, they won’t.”

“That wasn’t a question, Emily. They will make you doubt him.”

“No, damn it, they won’t.”

“They had better not,” she says, her gaze sharpening, “because if you care about him at all, you cannot become the only weapon they have against him.” She walks away and I hug myself, guilt clawing at me. Jessica’s right. I can’t be a weapon to tear him down. Every decision I make has to revolve around that absolute. And that’s the moment my cell phone rings.

Digging my phone from my pocket, I move to the far side of the balcony, away from the open glass door, and hit the answer button. “Where have you been, Kevin?” I demand softly.

“Do not call me and make threats like you did earlier,” he growls.

“That wasn’t a threat,” I promise. “That was survival.”

“I told you, the less we talk the safer we are.”

“You also told me I’d be free of this in a month, two tops, and I’m headed toward that two.”

“It’s going to be a few more weeks.”

“I can’t do this for a few more weeks.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

“I have a choice,” I counter, “and yes. That’s a threat.”

“To yourself. You know the consequences.”

“That you created and you said you had proof to make go away.”

“Proof that has to be absolute, and it’s not absolute yet. Stay your course. I’ll be in touch. Get rid of the phone you’re on and text me your new number.”

“I need—”

He ends the call before I can say “money” and I stuff my phone back into my pocket, turning to face the railing, my hands settling on the steel. So much for using my power. I failed miserably and I lower my head, forcing myself to think. Suddenly Shane’s hands are on my shoulders and I whirl around to face him, afraid he’s heard my call.

“Hey,” I say, his big body crowding mine, his eyes too attentive, searching my face. “What did you do about the apartment?”