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She perched on the foot of the bed and locked gazes with Kelsey. “I know we don’t know each other very well, but I’m really going to need a friend on this trip.”
“I’m here for you,” Kelsey said without hesitation.
“Thanks. I felt pretty good about everything until Samuel said he wanted space. I mean, I understand his reasoning. I really, really do. But…” She closed her eyes. “I don’t like it.”
“Wow,” Robin whispered. “You… You really like him, don’t you? I thought this was just a thing. Something you didn’t really mean, but… You’re serious?”
“Like a thousand times more than when I just thought he was an arrogant, hot asshole. He can be so sweet and thoughtful. But he gets me. And the way he talks about my career? It’s downright swoon-worthy. And if we’re all completely honest, I can’t be with anyone who doesn’t have the capacity to be an asshole.” She quickly jabbed a finger at Robin. “But I’ve got a bone to pick with you!”
“Me?” Robin squeaked.
“Why did you mention junior year to him? Why? How could you do that to me?”
She cringed and held up the other pillow as a shield. “I drank too much. And I was trying to distract myself. I always laugh when I think about his face.”
Jessica blew out a breath and stood. She was satisfied with how the gray dress fit, so it was time to move on. “I know. I get it. You both have to be feeling a lot of stress right now, too. Thank you for listening to my petty whining.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m here for this.” Kelsey grinned. “Don’t get it twisted. Samuel is an arrogant asshole, but he is fiercely loyal and he will do anything for the people in his corner. He’s a little emotionally closed off, but you’ve clearly already broken through that with him. I’ve said for a long time that he deserves someone in his life who will appreciate that about him.”
Jessica bit her lip.
She wanted that to be her. And that scared her a lot. But the best things were always scary in the beginning.
Monday. London, UK.
Samuel already hated this fucking trip, and they weren’t even to the hotel yet.
It was both a blessing and a curse that he and Baruti had been seated behind the ladies on their trans-Atlantic flight to London. Samuel had watched the two put their heads together and talk for much of the flight. And the whole time all he wanted to do was pick Kelsey up and trade seats with her.
The worst was when they fell asleep.
He’d sat awake the whole damn time wondering if Jessica was comfortable, did anything hurt, was she warm enough, hungry, thirsty…
The list went on, which did shit for his mood.
Samuel shoved his hands into his pockets and trudged forward toward their hotel with the group following in his wake.
He still stood by his decision to pause their relationship. Not that they’d defined what it was or what either of them wanted. He couldn’t think about all of that right now. His head had to be focused on safety.
Samuel scanned the road, looking for a tail that might have followed them. It was late afternoon, and the sun was dipping toward the horizon. They all needed to eat. There were too many different things to juggle, and his mind kept going back to Jessica.
Damn it.
This was exactly what he’d wanted to avoid. He was the wrong person to send on this mission. It should be someone else, and yet he couldn’t see himself stepping back to allow anyone else close to her. Not to mention there was no one else. Her source wouldn’t stay on the hook forever.
He glanced over his shoulder at the group behind and his gaze snagged on Baruti’s. What was with him? Why wasn’t he looking for a threat?
This was a terrible idea.
The awning for their hotel was ahead of them. They’d been booked into a small, boutique hotel in an effort to decrease the number of eyes on them. It was a quaint little place in a part of the city that appeared to be struggling. There wasn’t a ton of foot traffic, which he liked. But a few streets over were all the shops and pubs they could want, so it balanced out.
Samuel turned into the hotel and in a short exchange took possession of both room keys.
He desperately wanted to know what plans Jessica was making with her contact, but he’d decided the best thing was to separate himself and focus on their accommodations. He would prioritize their safety and allow the others to strategize about what moves they made. It was the best way he could think of to cover all their bases.
While the others waited, he ran up to their rooms and did a quick look at the accommodations, ensuring they were safe before signaling to the others they could come up. The goal was to avoid getting trapped anywhere. High on their list was a place that had multiple exits.
By the time he heard their voices in the hall, he was ready to pull his hair out. Not that there was a lot left after he visited the barbershop yesterday. He probably shouldn’t have, but he couldn’t go another day with his hair looking a mess. He’d wear his jeans and T-shirt to blend in instead of stand out, but he drew the line at his lock-down, recovery hair sticking around for another week.
