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“Miss Davis.”
I turn to find one of the men who showed up at my apartment two nights ago standing beside the elevator. “Yes?”
“Mr. Valinov said you might need to go to the bank this morning.”
“I do.” I hesitate a second longer before whipping the coat off the hanger. “I was just getting ready to go.”
He tips his head at me. “I’ll let Sal know to pull around.”
“I can walk.” I wrap the scarf around my neck before slipping my arms into the coat. “It’s only a couple of blocks away.”
“I’m afraid walking is not an option.” The man presses the button, calling the elevator up.
“Why not?” I didn’t do more than glance out the window when I woke up and I haven’t exactly been paying attention to the weather forecast. “Did it snow?”
“No.” The man steps to one side as the elevator doors open. “Mr. Valinov made it clear you were to be taken wherever you wanted to go in the car.”
“That’s ridiculous.” I loop my purse over one arm before stepping into the elevator. “It will take longer to drive there than it will to just walk.”
I press the button for the lobby, but to my surprise I don’t go there alone. The man steps into the elevator before the doors close. He frowns at me the whole way down, and when I walk off he follows right behind me.
I go out the doors and turn toward the bank, pulling the scarf a little higher as the wind cuts between the tall buildings. I stop at the end of the block and turn to my newly acquired shadow. “Are you going to follow me the whole way there?”
“Yes.”
At least he’s honest.
I step forward, holding one hand out to him. “We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Paisley.”
He glances down at my bare fingers before taking my hand in his. “Julian.”
“Are you my babysitter?”
Julian gives me a lopsided smile that makes him look younger than he is. “Something like that.”
“Fine.” I tuck my hand back into the pocket of the coat and turn toward the bank. “But we’re in a hurry. The bank closes in fifteen minutes.”
Julian follows me around as I deposit the check Andre left me and have the rest of the money I owe Dr. Marshall cut into a cashier’s check. Then we stop in to grab my mother a milkshake at the burger shop a few doors down. I end up deciding to order myself a burger and fries and double the order as a thank you to Julian for braving the cold weather with me.
We’re both halfway through our fries by the time we reach the penthouse and Julian is telling me about his wife and their new baby when we step out into the foyer.
The not empty foyer.
Andre eyes the bag in my hands, his gaze flicking to Julian before coming back to rest on me. “Did you two enjoy your excursion?”
Julian looks a little pale as he swallows down his mouthful of fries.
“We did.” I stare Andre down as I walk toward him. “The cold air was refreshing.”
“You were supposed to take a car.” His glare shifts to Julian.
“I didn’t want to take a car.” I wait until his focus comes back to me. “I wanted to walk.”
He makes an indignant noise, but his black eyes soften as they move over me. His hands come to the collar of the coat I’m wearing. “You found your coat.”
“I did.” I consider pretending I didn’t realize it was mine, but that feels like it would cheapen the gesture. “Thank you.”
Andre slips the buttons free. “You’re welcome.”
