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I’m about to turn around and tug the door open when he wraps his arms back around me, dragging me into a tight hug. “I love you too, Isla. With every beat of my heart I thought was long dead.”
I close my eyes and allow myself to breathe in his vanilla and leather scent, the one I’ve found myself intoxicated by over and over again. This moment with him, the way he holds me like I’m the difference between life and death, it’s everything, and there’s not a damn thing I wouldn’t do to keep this feeling for the rest of our lives.
I’m still on a high as I walk from the train to campus. It’s a short walk, and I’m more than aware of the fact that Antonio is on the other side of the street watching every person that comes within a few feet of me.
I’ve gotten used to him now, but the people around me still find him unnerving. Kinda the point.
I round the corner and start through the parking lot, weaving my way through cars as I move toward the building my first workshop of the day is in.
Suddenly, someone grips my arm and tugs me behind a large SUV, shoving me backward and plastering their hand over my mouth before I can scream.
“Shh, it’s me,” a familiar voice soothes, and my panicked eyes meet those of Bryant Hayes. “I didn’t mean to scare you, but I had to do it quickly so that huge asshole wouldn’t see me.”
His hand slips from my mouth, and I shove him backward. Irrational anger flows through me, and the moment he recovers, I push him again. “What the fuck?” I snap. “You scared the fucking life out of me.”
His gaze darts around, obviously looking for Antonio. “We don’t have time for me to explain right now. Can you get rid of the guard and meet me somewhere?”
Hesitation rolls over me. Why can’t whatever he has to say be said in front of my guard? Is he working for Spade? I know their families are mortal enemies, but that doesn’t mean the brothers wouldn’t be willing to feed me to the sharks to settle the beef.
“Isla, you know I’d never do anything to hurt you. I just need time to explain, and your asshole husband has cut off all communication pathways.”
My mouth drops open in surprise. Doc did what now?
“Meet me in the women’s bathrooms near your Human Rights class this afternoon.”
Before I can ask how the hell he knows my schedule by heart, he’s gone.
“You okay, Isla?” Antonio asks, his gaze darting around the parking lot looking for a threat.
I nod and look down at the tennis shoes I’m wearing. “I was just tying my laces,” I tell him quietly, not trusting my voice not to break.
Is Bryant the only person Doc’s cut me off from? Or is that the real reason I haven’t heard from my father or Bree since he brought me here?
The day passes in a blur of lectures, and I can’t hide how shaken I am from my interaction with Bryant this morning.
Bella has asked me what’s wrong so many times I’ve lost count, but I can’t tell her without having to explain the whole sordid story of how I came to live in Chicago in the first place.
By the time I take a seat in my Human Rights lecture, a nervous ball of energy is lodged in my stomach, and anxiety is pounding down on me ruthlessly.
It occurs to me that maybe I shouldn’t meet Bryant. There are so many reasons I shouldn’t, including but certainly not limited to the fact I would have to slip my security detail to do so while there are men following me.
But halfway through the lecture, I tell Bella I’ll be back in a minute, and I slip from the lecture hall without a sound.
“Where are you going?” Antonio asks the second the door closes.
“Bathroom,” I tell him, not bothering to turn back to him as I scurry toward the closest restroom.
His footsteps echo on the tiles behind me, but I don’t turn back, afraid he’ll see right through my lies if he sees my face. I may have been a party girl in my past life, but I’ve never been very good at lying to the people in my life.
I shove into the bathroom, only looking back for long enough to make sure Antonio isn’t following me in, and then I lean against the door with a heavy sigh of relief.
For someone who used to sneak out most nights, I’m not very good at it anymore.
“Finally,” Kai complains, and I shoot my gaze up to meet the eyes of all four Hayes brothers.
Oh boy. If Bryant brought them all along for the ride, this is bound to be bad.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
