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“Ms. Maxwell?”
“Speaking,” I snap.
“Deacon Black. I’m just calling to give you an update.”
“Oh,” I say, feeling like a complete asshole, which I’m also choosing to blame on the man outside of my apartment. “Sorry.”
He chuckles, a light breathy sound. “Wren, our IT specialist was able to obtain more information. Your half-brother is out of the state right now. He flew to California two days ago, and his return flight isn’t for another three days. He has no history of violent behaviors. No criminal record. It seems he’s just a man hurting because his mother is hurting. We have no reason to believe he’s going to cause you any physical harm.”
“I see.”
“We will have someone assigned to you before he gets back to St. Louis, but keeping someone there right now would be foolish. Unless you prefer it.”
My jaw works with indecision. I can’t understand that Weston, the third isn’t even in town. I’m a reasonable person. What he’s telling me makes sense, but my heart starts to race with the news. Am I getting upset because there’s a chance my detail will be pulled or because it’s Jude that’s going to be walking away?
“That’s fine,” I say.
“I have a few of the guys’ schedules clearing up over the next couple of days, so I’ll send one of them over once he boards his flight home.”
“Okay,” I say, feeling a little disheartened at hearing that there’s not a good chance that Jude will be the one returning to my apartment when Weston is back in town.
“Ms. Maxwell? Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I rush out. “Yes, I’m fine.”
“We can keep someone outside your apartment as long as you need, but with him out of town, I feel like it’s a waste of money and resources.”
My money, because I’m a client of Blackbridge Security now, and his resources because there’s no point in Jude standing just outside if there’s no threat.
“Wh-What if he’s out of town because he hired someone to hurt me and he needs an alibi?”
“That was a concern for us, but Wren found no large cash withdrawals. There’s been no transfer of money, no unusual banking activity. We’re certain that—”
“How can you be certain?” Am I getting worked up because I’m honestly scared or because I just can’t stand the idea of Jude leaving?
“My team is very thorough, but as I said, we can leave someone there if that makes you more comfortable.”
I feel like I’m losing my mind, and I’m not even an avid crime-show watcher like Hayden is.
“It’s fine,” I say in the end.
“Fine that you want him to stay or fine, you’re comfortable with Jude leaving?”
I’m not comfortable with Jude leaving, and that hits me in the chest like a cannon ball.
“I’ll be fine on my own,” I say, and it’s more of an insistence to myself than letting Mr. Black know what I need.
“Very well. You should have all of our information in the email Pam sent you. If you feel like you need us there, all you have to do is call the client hotline. We answer it twenty-four seven.”
“Thank you,” I say before hanging up.
I stand, trembling in the middle of my bedroom.
I just can’t let him go, and more importantly I can’t think about what that leaves. I rush to pull a robe out of the closet because opening the door stark naked isn’t probably the best way to tell Jude that I want to talk to him.
By the time I get to the door and pull it open, the hallway is empty. Jude is already gone.
I close and lock the door, heading back to the bathroom for my bath. The rush to get to him and beg him to stay was a moment of weakness, one I’m glad I didn’t have to backpedal on in front of him.
Now if I can stop from staring at my phone and ignore the urge to call or text him, I’d be doing much better.
Chapter 31
Jude
Do crazy people realize they’re crazy?
I’m not making light of mental health by any stretch of the imagination.
Meaning I’m not going to ignore the issues I have and chalk it up to something being no big deal.
I’m seriously questioning my mental fortitude right now.
Although I vowed as I put on my tux this afternoon that I was going to be stoic and supportive of my best friend, I feel like I’ve failed him in every way.
I’m not paying attention to him as he stands, back ramrod straight as the wedding begins. I have no words of encouragement. Honestly, the man doesn’t need them. He doesn’t have cold feet. He’s not stuck in his head wondering if he’s making the right choice. He knows he’s madly in love. He’s been waiting to give away his last name. He doesn’t need me to talk him off a ledge or drive the getaway car.
