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Fear punched me in the gut. Trying to keep the emotion from my face, so the reporter didn’t make it his front-page story tomorrow, I stood, making my apologies to the man sitting across from me. Then I typed out a message to Addi, so I didn’t draw attention to myself by making a scene.
Me: I’m leaving. Emergency. I’m going with Matt. I’ll explain when I know more.
Addi: Like hell you are. What’s going on?
Me: Emmy. Something’s happened.
Addi: Meet you at the car. I’m coming too.
When we got outside, there were two people-carriers waiting. I looked at Matt, confused, but he shrugged his shoulders. It wasn’t long before it all made sense. Frankie and the twins followed Addi, along with their security detail.
“What’s wrong with Em?” I asked, looking at Matt for answers.
“Thomas called me. Someone broke into her apartment and trashed the place. He doesn’t know if she’s safe or why they broke in. She’s with neighbors, but he wanted me to check the place out. Especially with everything that’s happened with your mum… or your not-mum, as I’m now calling whoever this is. I thought you’d want to check on her, Tanner, which was why I told you.”
“Right, well, she’s one of us, so we’re all going together. Let’s show our girl how important she is to us,” Mav announced, and I tried not to let my jealously rear its ugly head again.
It didn’t take long to get to Emmy’s new address, which Thomas had texted Matt and we all piled into the elevator to her floor. Matt found the apartment she was apparently at and knocked. A huge bald man opened the door. He was about my height, but probably twice as wide as me, his muscles popping from under his skin-tight t-shirt.
“Can I help—shit, you’re the Cosmic Gods? Ben, Em. The Cosmic Gods are on the doorstep. Am I hallucinating? Am I having a stroke and this is how my brain is choosing to tell me? What a way to go!”
“What do you mean the Cosmic Gods are here? I didn’t phone them. Bloody Thomas.” Her small hand appeared on the door as she yanked it open further, stepping into view. Still wearing the same dress but with a ridiculously huge sweatshirt over it and mascara smudged under her eyes. I still couldn’t get used to the change in her hair; her dark long locks were replaced with an almost silver wavy shoulder-length bob. She looked like a disheveled angel. I was so relieved to see that she was okay, I had to stop myself from kissing her.
“Matt, why did you bring a bunch of rock stars and their security with you?” she asked, obviously furious we were all here.
“My job is still to keep you safe, Miss Winters.”
“How many times? Please,Emmy.”
“Emmy.Thomas called. I’m going to check your apartment is empty and then we need to work out why they broke in. Wait here. All of you. Noah, you’re with me. The rest of you, stay here out of the way.”
“Come in. I promise to stop fan-girling soon. Well, maybe. The Cosmic Gods are in my apartment.” This giant man clapped his hands in glee as we all stepped inside.
Once the door was shut, Emmy turned, confusion dancing in her eyes. “Why are you all here? You should be partying and celebrating the success of your book.”
“It’sourbook, Emmy, and we wouldn’t be anywhere else. You’re our friend. You running out on usagainhasn’t changed that. We’d do anything for you. Surely you know that by now?” Frankie offered, reaching out her hand and pulling her in for a hug.
Emmy burst into tears. “Thank you,” she whispered between sobs.
As my brothers and sister wrapped their arms around Emmy, Addi and I stood back, not wanting to overwhelm her, but I hated that it wasn’t my arms wrapped around her. Minutes later, Matt reappeared. His face seemed to have lost all its color. His eyes flicked between Addi and me, and I knew whatever he’d found wasn’t good.
“Emmy, the apartment is empty. No one’s in there. But I have to warn you, it’s not pretty. Are you up for looking around and telling me if anything’s missing?”
She pulled away from Frankie’s embrace and wiped the tears from her face, rolling back her shoulders and straightening her spine. “Yes.”
“Ben, is it? I’m Matt and I’m head of security for the Gods. I need you to call the police for me and tell them that this break-in is probably related to the band, so we need them to be as discreet as possible. Understand?”
“Yes, sir. I’m on it.”
“The rest of you stay here because I don’t want your DNA showing up in there. Emmy, come with me.”
“Tan?” She turned to face me, looking up at me through her long dark lashes, and I didn’t hesitate, taking her hand in mine.
“Come on, angel. I’ve got you.”
Chapter 36
Emmy
