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“Back the fuck off. You’re in the way,” Tristan grits out, making a path for me. My heart is galloping by the time we get into the car and speed off.
Tristan turns, noticing the entourage of vehicles chasing us. “Of course.”
I wish I could sink into the seat and disappear. “They’re relentless.”
“Once we arrive at the private airport, they’ll be stopped.”
I glance over at him. “We’re getting on a plane?”
“Yeah.”
“They’re going to know we’re flying somewhere.”
He meets my eyes. “They won’t know where we’re going, and neither will you.”
“Why not?”
“The less you know, the better.”
I clench my jaw, angry that he’s not giving me any details. We zoom through the private gate, and those following us are left behind at the security entrance. The car pulls up to my parents' private jet. Within minutes, my bags are being loaded, and we’ve boarded. After we’re buckled, the plane taxis to the runway. Once we take off, I pull out my laptop, and before I can log in with my fingerprint, Tristan slams it shut.
“No internet. At all. Jack tracked your phone, and I don’t know if that’s infected too. As soon as you connect to the internet, your IP can be tracked.”
My nostrils flare. “Do you have any idea how many rumors are going to be started about me? Everyone will know I fled from my sister’s wedding, packed my shit, and escaped on a plane.”
“I don’t give two shits,” he firmly states.
“Of course you don’t,” I snap. He doesn’t realize how hard I’ve worked to stay out of the drama.
I grab my AirPods, then realize I don’t have my phone to listen to music, so I put them back into their case. Closing my eyes, I think back to all the meet & greets, public appearances, and videos that got me into this mess.
While it’s not Tristan’s fault that this happened, he seems to have zero compassion for me. Not that I want his sympathy, but my everyday life involves the internet, so dealing with all of this on top of having all access ripped away in a blink is a lot at once.
My mind reels, and I try to fall asleep, but the thoughts come and go so fast that I grow anxious instead of tired. I look down at the silk dress I’m still wearing and am reminded how quickly everything happened and how lucky I am to be safe. I already wish this nightmare would end, and it literally just started.
CHAPTER TWO
TRISTAN
I know Piper’s pissed, but there’s nothing I can do about it. She’s used to always getting her way, and considering she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, it’s not hard to guess why. However, I take my missions seriously, especially when her life is on the line. When we’re an hour outside of our destination, I connect to the Wi-Fi on the plane and text my brother. He immediately responds.
Tristan: Hey, I’ll be in town tonight.
Easton: Is everything okay? Did something happen?
Tristan: I’ll explain everything tomorrow. Is there any way you can help stock the beach house with food? I don’t know how long we’ll be staying.
Easton: We?
Tristan: Yeah.
When he realizes I’m not going to give any more details, he sends another message.
Easton: I can be there in the morning before my shift.
Tristan: Appreciate it.
I lock my phone, knowing I’ll eventually have to fill him in. It’s not something I’m looking forward to, considering the impending danger that follows being someone like Piper Montgomery’s bodyguard. My family worries about my well-being often, and that’s the last thing I want. It’s taken years for my parents to stop hounding me about staying safe, and once this is splashed on the news, concern will follow. My mother worried when I was in the military, and I think after everything that has happened, she always will.
Three and a half hours later, the plane touches down.
I’ve gotten the silent treatment during the entire flight, and I don’t know if she realizes or not, but it doesn’t bother me. Honestly, I’d rather her be quiet than hear her whining about her first-world problems. There are bigger issues than her not being able to log on to the internet, but I’ll never be able to convince her otherwise.
Once the plane comes to a stop, the cabin lights turn on, and the pilots wish us well. A concierge is waiting by the rental car her parents' set up, and I quickly sign the paperwork, then place Piper’s belongings in the back seat. The humidity is the first thing I notice, and it’s something I haven’t missed living in New York.
“Jesus, it’s hot,” Piper complains, smoothing her hair away from her face.
I get inside the vehicle and am happy the windows are tinted dark. Although it’s right after two o’clock in the morning, and I doubt anyone is searching for Piper here, I can never be too cautious.
