Page 26 of Carte

“No. Either I take her somewhere safe, or I walk.”

I didn’t wait for her to answer.

Turning around, I started walking to the door, my only intent to leave that hotel. Walking away was a dick move. I was fully aware of it. But there was a reason I gave them Max’s number, after all we worked together. I needed them to cave and cancel the damned tour. And I knew, the insurance company demanded a twenty-four hour security of Harley Thorn even months before I was brought on. They were just dragging their feet. If I walked away, they were fucked. If they didn’t cave, I would call Trevor and beg him to take over Harley, but I wouldn’t be part of this madness, not even a second longer. I knew he would demand the same thing as me. I would make sure of it. I had enough guilt living in me. If something happened to her, I wouldn’t be in the shadows anymore. I would be living in permanent darkness.

I just needed to figure out, how the fuck would I stay away.

“Mr. Ryan, wait!”

I stopped and looked at her.

“Okay, “ Cassie’s shoulders slumped. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. “We’ll cancel the tour.”

I nodded, and started walking in the direction of the elevators.

I needed to go to Harley. I was away from her long enough.

“But, you have to tell her.” Cassie called behind my back.

Oh, fuck me.

I slid a card into the lock and braced.

I had no idea what was waiting for me behind those doors, but it could be anything.

When I left her, Harley was locked in my bedroom, not letting anyone come in. I understood that reaction. Her most private space was violated. Her words, something she cherished most of all, were used against her. And it was dawning on her this was no longer just an overzealous fan. A game.

This was something much darker and more dangerous.

I felt physically ill while I was leaving the suit, but I had to go to that meeting. I had to do anything that would guarantee her safety.

But what was behind those doors, I couldn’t imagine.

I expected her to still be closed off to the world. To cry. To scream. Or for a suite to be trashed in anger. All those reactions and emotions would be normal.

The deathly silence that greeted me as I entered wrapped itself quickly around my windpipe.

I bumped the side of my fist against Mark’s biceps, “How’s she doing?”

He glanced at me quickly before he focused back on a woman sitting on the couch in all that chaos around her, “She’s settled down. Been ruffling through all this for the last two hours, muttering to herself, and flipping pages like they would start to talk to her.”

“Do you know what that is? Has she told you?”

“No. She just kept asking where you were between all the flipping.”

“You can go to your break now.”

Mark didn’t wait for me to say the words twice. He turned and bolted for the door like he was escaping a prison.

I stood where I was and waited for the lock to click. My hope was it would jerk her out of her mind tormenting her, but we weren’t that lucky.

Slowly, I moved through the room until I was in front of her, a coffee table behind my knees.

Shifting papers scattered on it, I cleared enough space to sit on it so I could be eye level with her. “What’re you doing?”

Her head whipped up at hearing my words, and relief shone in her eyes for a heartbeat before they went dull again. “You’re here.”

Her soft tone, and her words grated on my skin. I wanted to find the sick fuck who did this to her, and tear him to pieces. A need to end this for her, to make her safe pulsed through me so strong my vision blurred.