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Kingston

My house is in ruins. Someone has broken in and destroyed everything on the first floor. I run upstairs and check the other floors. Nothing on the second or third floor has been touched.

I go in Thorn’s room and find the bag with Briar’s stuff and see that her tips are gone.

Fuck.

I have money but that’s not the point. She’s worked hard for those tips, she doesn’t have a bank account from what Thorn told me the other day so I’m sure that some of her paycheck was in there as well. It makes me angry.

I hear sirens and head downstairs and on the kitchen counter a note catches my eye.

‘She will be mine.’

Lane

I knew it the moment I stepped inside, figured it when her tips went missing, but this just confirms it.

How does stealing her tips help her fall in love with you, asshole?

I stuff the note in my pocket as Hayes walks in. He’s been here several times. We’re close friends. It’s why I called him earlier today.

“King.”

“Hayes.”

“Know who did this?” he asks as I nod.

“I do.”

“Does it have to do with what we talked about earlier?”

“It does.”

“Going to let me do my job?”

“I might,” I hedge, “but he’s long gone by now.”

“I’ll get on this. You have a place to stay for the night? Wait, I know you do. I’ll update you as soon as I can.” He walks out to talk to his officers.

I run upstairs and pull out a couple of suitcases, throwing her two bags in and some of my things. I can come back later or just buy new ones, I don’t fucking care. I take the other suitcase and throw Thorn’s bags in it as well and then grab his gym bag.

I close the suitcases and find Briar in the living room looking panicked.

“Some detective questioned me outside,” Briar whispers.

“He’s a friend,” I say as I pull her in for a hug. “We’re going to stay in a hotel.”

“Okay,” she follows me back out to the Expedition.

I hold her hand the whole way to the hotel, pulling up front and tossing my key to the valet and grabbing the large suitcases. I feel safer here at the hotel, my hotel, than I do at home. Yeah, I own it.

“This is amazing,” she breathes in as we walk through the lobby.

“Wait until you see the bathtub,” I wink, trying to make light of the situation.

I will keep her safe at any cost.

“Oh Mr. Kingston, so good to see you,” a man at the counter says as we approach.

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