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My head of security spears me with a look, clearly pissed at how his investigation into Lennon Porter has gone. When I’d asked him to look into Porter’s schedule, I’d thought it would take him at least several days to find a place to get close to the man.
In actual fact, I’d woken up mere hours after asking Ford to do some digging to find he’d acquired tickets for me to attend a comedy club.
The same comedy club Porter is set to attend tonight.
The only issue is that I’ve had to do an almost complete overhaul of my security staff in the wake of Lucia’s canning. Only a handful of staff and Ford’s own team remain, so I need Ford to stay behind, keeping everything kosher here.
Attending this comedy club is the only event Porter’s attending for the next month, so it just means we’re stretched a little thin.
Bringing in outsiders is not an option. Trust isn’t bought, it’s earned.
“That’s not the damn point. You should have Jules with you. Have Wren meet her friends here—”
I hold my hand up, palm facing him. “No. Her life has been displaced enough recently. She’s meeting her friends at Cherry Blossom. Jules is going withher.”
My forehead creases as my voice cracks ever so slightly, but it’s enough that Ford’s face dawns with awareness.
“I need her to be safe so I can do what I need to do.”
He nods even as he purses his lips. “You’re wearing a wire, so I can hear you at all times.” His eyebrows lift, as though surprised at his genius idea, and I bark a laugh, content to have gotten around our temporary impasse.
I nod with a grin, only for Ford’s eyes to widen farther with another epiphany. “And I’m calling in a favor with Fratelli.”
“Okay, nowthatI can work with.”
* * *
WREN
“It’s fine, guys. You’reill. Focus on feeling better.” I press my lips together to subdue my desire to grin. “And don’t come anywhere near me until you’re back to full health.”
On my cell screen, Elodie lifts her head from Levi’s lap. Her eyes are glazed as she nods ever so slightly.
Levi’s moan fills the SUV, making Jules glance around from the driver's seat with a frown. “I’m telling you. It was that motherfucking chicken.”
He sits forward, suddenly very green at the gills. “I’m gonna spew. Move, Rivers.Move!”
Elodie moves faster than Usain Bolt, rolling off the sofa right onto the floor with a soft thud as Levi jumps to stand, racing out of view before I hear a door slamming.
My friend's disheveled head slowly appears from beneath the coffee table her screen is propped on, and she looks around slowly before facing the screen with wide eyes.
“It wastotallythe motherfucking chicken.”
Her own face goes green, and she heaves, covering her mouth with her palm. Her eyes are brimming with self-pity as she hits the end call button.
“Holy shit, that sounds like a nasty night ahead for your friends.”
Jules catches my eye in the rearview mirror as I hang up. “They’ll live. The two of them are notorious for trying the craziest foods. God only knows what kind ofchickenthey mean.”
As Jules chuckles, I drop Matt a quick text.
ME
Just me and you, Boo. Lev and Elodie are sick.
As Jules regales with a story about his own brush with food poisoning, my cell vibrates with a new text. My smile widens impossibly while butterflies swarm in my stomach when I see Vaughn’s name pop up.
VAUGHN
