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I’m not sure what he means by that because Cooper’s only doing his job. He hasn’t picked to babysit me and potentially get himself hurt protecting me. They put him on me. Exactly like Casper did with Freddie.
“Dad already called me earlier to discuss the importance of me lying low and being aware of my surroundings.”
“Good.”
“Good?” I open the door, surprised by his automatic agreement with our father.
“He’s right, George. Lay low and keep your security close.” All the humour is gone as he adds, “Don’t let your guard down. Understand me?”
“I won’t,” I reply, trying to keep my cool as he leaves, and before he disappears, I tell him, “Promise me you’ll watch his back. No matter what.”
“That’s not a promise I’m going to make you, Georgina.”
“Please, Casper. If anything happens to Fre—”
“I’m not making that promise because it doesn’t matter what happens—we will always have each other’s backs. It’s who we are. No one touches him without going through me, Christopher, or Leo.”
Of course, he doesn’t divulge any more than that as he disappears down the hall to his and Fleur’s bedroom. It’s more like an entire suite or wing with the private sitting area, two walk-in closets, bathroom, and then the bedroom itself. Still, it’s referred to as the bedroom…that Fleur barely sleeps in because Grace is up most nights at the minute.
To stop myself from going back to the window, I head downstairs and make myself a herbal tea. Turning off the lights in the hallway so that there’s only a slight glimmer from the kitchen and lounge, I sit in one of the chairs at the dining room table. The tall windows overlook the front garden and drive. In the dark, Freddie can’t see me watching him as he works, and the view from where I’m sitting is a lot clearer than the one from the bedroom.
I’m not sure how long I’ve been sitting here, but every time he peers up at the bedroom window, my heart skips a beat. Before he goes back to his screen, his eyes flit to every other window, and when they come to the one I’m looking out of, the pang in my chest becomes louder, vibrating through me in a way that makes it impossible to get up from my seat and go to bed.
“Jesus Christ, what the fuck are you doing sitting in the dark?” Fleur asks, breaking my silence and making me jump out of my skin. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, are you sitting here watching that plank watch you?”
“Umm…”
“Yeah, of course you are. You realise how stupid that is, don’t you?”
“Is she up again?” I ask, trying to divert the conversation as Grace starts grumbling in her arms.
“Of course. Might as well have stayed up because now I feel worse than I did earlier.”
“I told you to let me look after her while you got some sleep.”
“We’re okay, right, baby?” Fleur coos, trying to soothe her. “Anyway, now that I’m awake again, I need tea, and we can finish our conversation from before.”
“We already did.”
“No. That conversation is nowhere near done,” she scoffs, lightly rocking Grace from side to side. When she refuses to settle, she signals for me to follow her to the kitchen.
Reluctantly, I get up, sneaking furtive glances back out of the window as I traipse to where she’s waiting for me to join her. I know she’s right and it’s silly to sit here for hours, doing nothing but staring at the one thing I might never have. Even though I’m torturing myself, I can’t help it. Besides, if I couldn’t take the pain, he wouldn’t be worth fighting for.
Taking Grace from Fleur, I let her lead the way to the kitchen. While she goes about making her tea, I twirl Grace around the room to her snotty giggles. The sounds she makes when she’s happy are infectious. Especially when she can’t contain them and squirms so much that I have to squeeze her to my chest.
“Have to say that I didn’t exactly expect you to be so…maternal…huh,” she chuckles with a fond smile tugging at her lips.
“Thanks,” I half laugh, unsure of what she means by that.
Maternal isn’t something I would describe myself as. That’s Arabella. I’m more ambitious than anything—which is why it’s impossible for me to actually move on from Freddie.
I hide my face in the crook of Grace’s neck so I can inhale her soft scent before I focus back on the conversation.
“Have you started imagining what your babies will look like?” she asks, turning to look at me with a pursed grin and wide eyes.
“What? No. No!” The silence as I wait for Fleur to say something makes me all the more self-conscious. My cheeks are burning hot while she carries on watching me cuddle Grace. “No. Come on, it’s not even like we’re fu—umm…getting hot and heavy. I bet that the minute he leaves, she’s waiting for him to take care of her. Let’s be honest, she’s willing and ready to be everything he needs with all their history and her baggage.”
“Me-ow!”
