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“Adrian’s our apprentice,” Jackson explained to me. “He hasn’t been doing this for as long as Xavier or me, so he’s still building up his regular clients.”
“Not that we don’t all have gaps in our schedule from time to time,” Xavier said, as he turned to another page. “It’s how the industry works.”
I popped a bite of toast in my mouth and chewed, happy to keep listening to them talk. Even though I had a tattoo, I didn’t know much about how the studios worked — Nathan had caught me up in a swirl of his emotions and we’d walked in off the street. We were exactly the kind of clients Adrian hated, by the sound of it, and I wasn’t surprised, seeing as Nathan had backed out of getting his.
“We want to get each other’s names tattooed on our chests,” he said, before flashing a wallet full of cash to the girl at the counter. He jabbed his thumb at me. “Her first.”
Hearing my name brought me out of my trance.
“I’m sorry?” I said, as I realized that Xavier had been talking to me.
He didn’t seem bothered by the fact that I hadn’t been listening. “We should talk about your routine so we can identify where he might be expecting to find you.”
“Where do you work?” Jackson asked, and I inwardly groaned. Ihatedanswering this question, and I especially loathed it now that three gorgeous men were looking at me so expectantly.
I sighed.
“I don’t have a job,” I admitted. “I do volunteer work with cancer patients — spend time with them, bring them food, do odd jobs around the house. But I haven’t done much of that since I broke up with Nathan.”
“That’s good,” Xavier said. “It means he won’t be able to anticipate your movements as easily. “What other routines do you have? Hobbies? Grocery shopping? The gym?”
I stared at the newspaper as I thought about it. To be really, truly honest, I didn’t have any routines of my own — everything I did, from hobbies to outings and even holidays, had been organized by Nathan. It hadn’t been that way in the beginning — I played netball, I went out with my friends and I even learned how to make ceramic vases, but over time, Nathan became more and more upset when I left the house without him, and it was eventually easier to stay home.
“I don’t really have any routines,” I admitted. “I buy food when I need it, but otherwise I just stay home.”
“That makes things easier,” Xavier said. “If youdohave any regular routines, you should change them up so he can’t anticipate your movements.” He took a bite of toast, chewed, and swallowed. “It might be best not to go out at all, until we’ve done some research and know what we’re dealing with.”
My heart dropped.
Did that mean I wouldn’t see Helen anymore?
Nathan knew I went to her house — he’d always known. And obviously, judging by the fact that he’d followed me while I was driving, he was able to predict when I was there, too. I’d feel terrible if I couldn’t see her… but then again, I’d feel even worse if I knowingly put her in danger.
“Okay,” I said, my throat dry. I sipped the coffee, and it helped, but I still felt lost.
Adrian checked the time on his watch.
“We’d better get ready.”
His words spurred Xavier into action. He shoved the last piece of toast in his mouth and leaped off his chair.
“Shit, you’re right,” he said. “Sorry, Emma, I lost track of time. Will you be okay here by yourself all day?”
“Feel free to use anything here,” Jackson chimed in. “None of us are precious, as long as you don’t destroy any of our tattoo designs.”
“I definitely won’t do that,” I assured them.
They showered one at a time and returned wearing the clothes I was used to seeing them in — the branded t-shirts and jeans. Xavier showed me which app to download to have access to the camera and made sure I knew the code for the door. Adrian made sure I’d turned off any apps that tracked my location on my phone, and Jackson told me about the bulletproof windows and the fire exits. Between the three of them, they made me feel completely safe.
“I parked your car in the alleyway out the back,” Adrian said. “It’s one of the staff parking spots, but it doesn’t matter. I’d rather make sure your car’s not visible from the street than mine.”
“If you need us, we’ll be downstairs,” Xavier added. “The door to the stairs only locks in one direction. If you forget the code, you can still get out, but Nathan can’t get in.”
I thanked him and the guys rushed out the door. The shop opened at nine, but they explained that they liked to get there by eight-thirty to have everything set up before they started their day.
The apartment had felt so comfortable with the guys there, but now that they were gone, it suddenly felt empty. I wandered around, looking at the place as though it was a museum. Aside from the books and the art prints that hung on the walls, there weren’t too many clues about their personalities — there were a few ornaments and knick-knacks, a couple of trophies from Jackson’s school days and a decent CD collection, but nothing that told me who the guys really were. The fridge was shockingly bare and although the pantry was more well-stocked, most of the items in there were non-perishable things that could have been there for a decade.
“Well, they’re not foodies,” I observed, although Adrian’s French toast skills made me think he knew his way around a kitchen.
