Page 47 of Unguarded

I smile at her while slipping a black baseball cap over mycurls. Even though she’s my personal assistant, Ember is a true friend.

After we’re both done getting ready, Danny is still in his room. She leans her ear up against his door and listens for a minute. I’m standing by the exterior door and holding my breath.

Finally, she rushes toward me. “Okay, he’s talking to his girlfriend about how he can’t wait to suck on her boobs, so I bet we have at least ten or twenty minutes until he finishes. Let’s go!”

Excitement sweeps through me. We poke our heads out the door, looking both ways down the hall before exiting. There are only a few other doors on this level, and I have no idea if my team is staying in them or if they’re on a lower level. Ember grabs my hand and pulls me over to the elevator. We exhale in unison when the doors open and it’s empty.

“If we get caught, I’m telling them you threatened to fire me if I told anyone you were leaving,” she whispers.

I giggle. “Deal. Do you have any money? I haven’t seen my wallet since we got here.”

She nods. “I got you. Put your sunglasses on.”

Ember has access to my entire life. She’s a life saver. I slide the thick black frames over my eyes just as the elevator doors open to the lobby. She loops her arm through mine as we walk under the crystal chandeliers and pass by the crimson velvet furniture. The doorman nods at us as we exit.

“Au revoir, mademoiselle.”He tips his hat.

I squeal as soon as we’re out on the street. A steady rain falls as pedestrians stroll by. We’re staying in one of the historic districts, per my request. The ancient buildingsaround us make it feel like we just stepped onto a classic movie set. We flip our hoods over our heads.

“This way!” Ember turns and pulls me to the left.

“Do you know where we’re going?”

“Nope, but I feel like heading toward the Eiffel Tower is good luck!”

We start walking in the rain, elbows looped together and smiles plastered on our lips.

18

CASH

“I’m sick of traveling.” I lean back against the chair, eyes studying the city beneath me.

Duke laughs on the other end of the line. “I can’t believe you made it this long. We expected you back after four weeks, on the dot.”

“Shit was fucking crazy for a while, but it’s gone quiet. I’m gonna tell them this is my last show.” Saying it out loud makes me even more determined that my time on the tour has ended. I have to get away from her.

I had Holden’s hacker contact look into the security guard at the venue, but he said he couldn’t find anything to indicate foul play. It was a stupid mistake, not intentional to cause her harm.

Monroe is safe. Brooks has really stepped up, and after the clear proximity to her with the gifts sent to her, Fidel and Danny seem to have finally taken the security team to the next level. The idea of a traitor on her tour still makes me uneasy, but with the last few weeks of silence, I’m beginningto wonder if I was wrong. My instincts are usually top-notch, but Monroe’s presence throws off all my usual abilities.

Which means she’s better off with someone else protecting her, someone who isn’t clouded by lust and fantasies about her wrapping her thighs around my face. I can’t sleep with Monroe, and I definitely can’t do anything more. My aversion to intimacy that’s more than skin deep dates back to my adolescence. My mother always warned me against burying my emotions. She was the last woman I wasn’t afraid to get close to, and now she’s gone.

So, I’m running, like a yellow-bellied coward.

“I talked to Griff about sending one of his best guys for the rest of the tour. He had an opening starting Monday. I booked a flight for the next morning.”

Brooks steps out of the bathroom we’re sharing in the double queen-bed room. He’s already aware of my plans. We’ve grown pretty close over the time we’ve spent on this detail.

“We miss your grouchy ass. Wish you’d asked me to come. I’d be happy to take the place as Miss Blue’s hot date.”

The urge to plant my fist in my younger brother’s face is a familiar one, but I didn’t expect to feel it so strongly from across the Atlantic.

“Can’t wait to be home and get reacquainted, fuckface. Pick me up at the airport.” I end the call abruptly, pissed off, but not wanting him to suspect that I’ve gotten too friendly with the blonde-bombshell celebrity.

If anyone could catch on, it would be one of my brothers picking up on the streak of jealousy in my tone. They’ve clearly seen the social media frenzy and rumors about us, butI told them it was all the fans’ perception and not reality. Dolly has been texting me links to the videos and pictures of Monroe and me nonstop. I’ve only responded to tell her not to believe everything she sees on Instagram.

“You’re really leaving, huh? When are you going to tell her?” Brooks walks over and collapses on the chair across from me.

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