Page 47 of Hide and Keep

“Try it now,” he instructs from the other side of the window.

I pretend to yank on the handle and give him an irritated look like he’s the one doing this to me.Quit fucking around, Crue. It isn’t funny.

He gives it a try, opening the door right away.

I hop out.

“So you do know how to get the door for women?”

“Fuck…” he mutters with a shake of his head and a flare of his nostrils.

I strut by him, but when I look back, he’s not admiring me the same way I was him. He’s glancing all around, at everything but me, surveying the area for some sort of threat.

His research is kicking in. He’s full bodyguard now.

Does that mean he’s going to stop engaging with me?

I veer away from the manor.

“Where are you going?”

“For a run.”

“You just—” he starts to say before cutting himself off.

After shutting his door, he follows wordlessly.

I break into a steady jog, not going as hard as yesterday. I guess I can ease up on him a little bit. He did clean my nails for me. And he held my hand.

I squeeze that hand into a loose fist, pretending his is in it for the rest of the run.

When we make it back to the manor, instead of following me up to my room like yesterday, Crue lingers in the foyer and says, “I’ll be right here when you’re ready to leave, miss.”

I freeze halfway up the stairs. Miss?

“I need to talk to Mr. Munreaux,” he tells Edwin.

“Of course, sir. May I ask in regard to what?”

“My accommodations.”

He’s going to rat on me, tell my father what I did to the guesthouse.

“Were they not to your standards?”

“Uh.”

I can feel both men’s eyes on me, so I resume the climb to the second story with my head held high. I don’t care if he tattles on me. What could my father possibly do to me that he hasn’t already?

I’m just coming out of my room when I practically run into Edwin.

“I’m…uh…” At a loss. I can’t remember the last time I saw someone in this wing of the manor.

I spy Crue behind him.

Ah, now I remember. It was yesterday, when Crue escorted me to my door.

But before that, I honestly don’t remember. I don’t even see the maid when she cleans my room.

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