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The idea of staying with the guys made my skin crawl and chest hurt. I didn’t know why I felt this way, but I did. The feeling of being trapped came to mind every time I thought about the warehouse. I didn’t want Reed or Garrett running my life, telling me what I can or cannot do. I would hate it and them. They would speak to me in their condescending tones, treating me like a child, and it would be the worst experience of my life. Fuck no…I would not live like that for the sake of my safety. No way.
Garrett must have sensed I was about to lose it on them; he raised his hands in a calming gesture.
“Okay, Phoebe. Let’s just calm down and take a few deep breaths.”
“No, I will not take a few deep breaths. I’m sick and tired of you two treating me as if I’m some kid that needs her two big brothers to come rescue her. I don’t need it. I’m fine. I’ll figure something out, me not you two. And if, and that’s a huge if… if I feel I need protecting by you two, I will ask you for it.”
Reed stepped closer to us and pointed at Ayana but looked at Garrett.
“Do you see what happens when she spends time with her? She sounds just as crazy as that one.”
“I got your crazy right here, asshole,” Ayana bit back, which finally caused chaos to ensue. Yelling between Reed and Ayana became garbled from Noelle trying to calm Ayana. Garrett tried to get the whole out of control situation under control, but it wasn’t working. Ayana put her hand in her purse and I heard her say, “call me a bitch one more time, I’m a play target practice with your knees first, then your balls.”
I groaned, dropped my head between my legs and called on my fairy godmother to come and save me from this chaos.
“Enough!” billowed Lock over the yelling. I glanced up to find him, along with two of his guys and Brad standing behind him. All of them held reproachful glares on their faces, all directed at us. Hell, Brad looked at Reed as if he was about to rip him apart with his bare hands.Holy crap...I kinda wanted to see that. I bet it would be epic and hot as hell.
“What in the fuck is wrong with you?” Lock glanced at everyone, hard cold eyes narrowed. “You’re causing a scene bigger than we already have. Shut the fuck up or get the fuck out.”
Everyone shut up, thoroughly chastised and not liking it one bit. Lock’s heavy gaze fell to Ayana. “Brad, take your wife and Noelle home.” He instructed and held his hand up when both women started to protest. “I don’t want to hear it. Phoebe will be fine. She’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Lock, we just want to make sure she’s safe.” Ayana informed him.
“I know and she will be, trust me. She’ll be with me.” He announced, which made all of us pause.
I asked, “What does that mean exactly?”
He looked down at me. “It means exactly the way it sounds. You’re coming with me.”
“The fuck she is,” Reed boomed, causing Lock to tense. The darkness that accosted Lock’s face made me cringe. I think everyone tensed, ready for Lock to explode. Garrett slowly stepped between both bulls, smiling at Lock.
“Uh, what my colleague meant to say was that we are more than capable of watching over Phoebe. We’ve known her longer and we would have her best interest at heart. We can protect her.”
One of Lock’s guys scoffed. “Yeah, you geniuses have done a bang-up job so far. Let’s just ask the couple upstairs.”
Reed and Garrett both jerked back as if they had been hit with a four-by-four. Things were beginning to spiral out of control, and I could tell Lock sensed it. He took a deep breath, relaxed his features some, and said, “I’m sure you could, but this is a police matter. She’ll be placed under police custody until we find out who vandalized her room.”
Reed, recuperated from being sideswiped and now thoroughly pissed off, said, “Oh, like how you found Schindler? How is that going, by the way?”
Lock, not phased at all by the challenge, replied, “Fine. We’ve already spoken to him. I have my people on him. Don’t worry, Watson, we’re doing our jobs.”
Hearing that Lock had spoken to Byron caused him to pause. He glanced at Garrett, me, then back at Lock. “So, you don’t have him in custody?”
“There’s such a thing as probable cause. There’s nothing on the books that supports any harassment from him by Miss Gates. We don’t have a restraining order in place or complaints against him. I can’t arrest anyone without proof, and unfortunately, we don’t have any yet. But when we do, he’ll be brought in and charged, I guarantee you on that.”
Reed pursed his lips to say something else, but Lock spoke over him and addressed his brother.
“Derek will follow you and make sure you and Noelle get home safely.”
Brad didn’t say a word. He nodded to his brother and headed for his wife and Noelle as they gathered their things to leave.
Ayana protested under her breath, rolled her eyes at her brother-in-law, and moved in my direction. I stood, and we hugged. “Call me later, okay?”
I nodded.
Noelle hugged me next, and I promised to contact them both once I was settled.
Both of my friends looked back at me once before they exited the hotel.
