Page 110 of Game Change

The person on the other end talks, and my heart drops at the news. Colin must sense my mood because he stands and puts his hands on my shoulders.

I put my hand on his lap when we get in the car. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to take up most of the day. You didn’t have to come with me.”

“You’re about to be my wife. Where the fuck else would I be?”

He puts his hand on mine and navigates from the police station parking lot. The basement apartment was broken into. The cameras showed a cloaked figure, but his face was covered, and despite the warm weather, the person was in a long, black coat. I know who it was, and I gave the police his name.

“This is getting dangerous,” Colin says, and I agree. “It’s dangerous for Oliver, too, because now he’s pissed me off, but you have to be careful, baby. Don’t argue with me on this, please, but I don’t want you going anywhere alone. That includes time with Amira and Raven. At least until this is handled.”

He squeezes my thigh. This is where I’d argue, but I don’t have it in me. I’m rattled, and I won’t hide it. It also feels good to have someone who looks out for me.

“No arguments here. I agree. I’m nervous.” I stare out the car window. “Do you think that if I gave him—”

“That’s not the answer. He’d take advantage of you for the rest of his life if you did that.”

“I just wanted to have the house back in my family,” I whisper. Now, I’m having second thoughts about that decision.

“It’s not just the house. He’s asked you for money. His mother suggested he live with you. Even if there were no house, you’d still have an Oliver problem.”

“Ugh,” I say. “I don’t want to talk about him anymore.” On the drive back home, his hand on my lap is the only thing keeping me from screaming. “In other news, Amira’s birthday is Saturday, and her father is throwing a party for her.”

“Oh? And you need a date?” he teases.

“That’s how this relationship thing works, Kincaid. Do I have to teach you everything?”

Chapter 57

Colin

I kiss Brynne on the cheek and step out of the private room in the restaurant. It’s packed, and despite it being an evening to celebrate Amira, she seems tense, but I don’t have time to figure out why.

“Did you find him?” I ask my private investigator. “Keep your eyes on him," I say when he says he has. "Do not call the police. At least not until I get my hands on him.” I end the call and return to the car to get Amira’s present.

By the time I return, Raven is here and standing with Brynne. I have not let Brynne out of my sight for the past three days. Everything has been quiet. She doesn’t know that I’ve hired security as well.

Our eyes catch, and she smiles at me. I wink at her and hold up the gift bag while I walk through the throng of people to get to my fiancée. She takes the gift, and I hug Raven while Brynne takes the bag to the gift table.

“Just so you know,” Raven says in a whisper. “There’s a high probability that Brynne and I will have to do a do-over party for Amira in the next couple of weeks.”

My brows furrow. “Why?”

“You’ll see.” She winks and pats my cheek.

“By the way, I never said thank you,” I whisper quickly before Brynne returns. Someone stops her to chat along the way.

“You can thank me by always making my girl happy and by naming one of your kids after me.”

“How did you know about—"

“The storm?” I nod at her question. “Brynne is a brilliant woman. She’s perfect in almost every way, except she never pays attention to the weather forecast. If she does pay attention, she gets it wrong. And she never needs to know I helped because you know how stubborn she is.” She puts a finger to her lips.

“Not just the storm. Her favorite foods and things she likes. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“She’s my girl. I love her like a sister, and I like you too. We’re family. Now, here comes Amira. This is her night. Remember that.” She pats my cheek just as Brynne arrives.

“Lord, Ashley is already starting,” Brynne whispers. “She was in the corner fake crying.”

“Who is Ashley?” I whisper back.

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