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The man was too much.
He had decided to get up and dressed today. And then walk downstairs. So now she was walking down in front of him to make sure he didn’t collapse and hit his fool head.
“If I can make you come three times, then I can walk down the damn stairs.”
“You seem to forget that you’ll have to walk back up the stairs.”
“I’ll deal with that problem when I get to it.”
Grr.
“Don’t you want to go get your things?” he asked.
That’s why he was walking down the stairs. Because he wanted to go with her to get her things. A couple of Regent’s men were also going with them to carry whatever she chose to bring back with her.
“You don’t need to come with me.”
“If you’re leaving the house, I’m coming with you. Trouble finds you.”
She didn’t point out that he wouldn’t be a lot of help if trouble came looking for her. She knew better than to crush a male ego.
They were fragile things.
Instead, she kept moving down the stairs in front of him. When they reached the bottom, she let out a sigh of relief.
He drew her to him with a grin, kissing the top of her head.
“See? Easy.”
“Easy, right.”
Her phone started ringing and she drew it out of her pocket. She’d managed to do a small amount of online shopping, and Gracen had picked it all up for her. So she felt more like herself today in a long dress with full sleeves that ended in tight cuffs at her wrists.
She’d also bought some comfortable shoes and a good hairbrush.
Maxim had frowned when she’d walked out of the bathroom with her hair tied back in a bun, but hadn’t said anything.
She frowned as she saw that it was Eva calling. It wasn’t the first time Eva had called, but she’d been avoiding answering her calls.
With a sigh, knowing she couldn’t really keep putting her off, she answered.
“Hello, Eva.”
“Oh, Aston, hi.”
“Are you all right?” she asked. The other woman sounded off.
“It’s just . . . I haven’t seen you around in a while. I was getting worried.”
Was she really? Or was she concerned about losing her babysitter?
“I’ve been staying with a friend.”
“Ahh right. The kids miss you.”
“I miss them too.” Which was the truth. “I’m coming to get some of my things now, I’ll stop in to say hello to the boys.”
“Now?”
“Uh, yes. Are you going to be home?” she asked, wondering why the other woman sounded weird.
“Yep, yep. How far away are you? My apartment is a mess.”
“About fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. And I don’t mind.” It wasn’t like it was usually tidy. “Bye, Eva.”
“Bye.”
She ended the call and turned to Maxim who crooked a finger at her.
She rolled her eyes but moved toward him, not wanting another ‘come here’ conversation. Because that conversation always ended the same way. With her ‘going there’.
“You’re a soft touch, baby.” He drew her into him and kissed the top of her head.
“You think I should be mean to her? I know she’s been using me, but I do like her kids.”
“No. I think that you should be exactly what you want to be.”
“But you think people take advantage of me when I do that.”
“You didn’t let me finish.” With a finger under her chin, he tilted her head back. “You be exactly who you want to be. Because now you have me, and I will make sure that no one walks all over you.”
She smiled up at him. “You know, I was wrong.”
“About what?”
“You don’t suck.”
He laughed until he groaned and she had to scold him.
Twenty minutes later, they were walking along the hallway toward her apartment. They’d had to take the elevator, which wasn’t her favorite thing. But she couldn’t handle Maxim trying to traverse any more stairs.
When they reached her apartment, Maxim frowned and took hold of her arm.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know. I have a bad feeling.” He glanced at her neighbor’s door. “Why isn’t she coming out?”
“She doesn’t always come out.”
“No, but she knows you’re coming.” He knocked on Eva’s door. No answer.
All right. That was odd.
Maxim moved her behind him and sent a quick message off to someone. Probably Regent.
“Should we not go into my apartment?” she asked.
He shot his gaze to the two men with them, Rocco and Levin. Then they moved cautiously back down the hallway.
“Maxim?” she whispered.
“We’re leaving, baby. I’m not taking you in there. No one is going in without more manpower behind us.”
Then the door to Aston’s apartment opened and Eva appeared. A tearful, fearful-looking Eva.
But that wasn’t what made her heart stop. That had her stomach dropping. It was the person behind Eva, holding a gun to her head.
“Gretchen,” she whispered.
“Really, Aston. Have you not worked it out yet? You are a little slow, aren’t you? Now, I suggest you all get in here before we’re seen. Hands up where I can see them and nowhere near your guns or it’s bye-bye neighbor.”
