Page 5 of No Escape

Thinking about that mess makes my stomach wobble.

Logically speaking, I know I was just a job to them, but to me, they were so much more.

My dad traveled frequently for work, meaning from age fourteen, I was home with only my tutor, the housekeeper, and the chef.

Once Leo and Shaw joined my team, we used to eat dinner together every night. They took me to volleyball and soccer practice my entire junior year.

And, yeah, I had a crush on them by the time my senior year rolled around, but for the two years before that, I was just grateful to have someone else to talk to in that giant house.

I made the mistake of considering them friends when I should have understood they were only there to collect a paycheck. They may have treated me decently, but assuming they would always be around was unrealistic.

I learned that lesson, though.

Now I treat my bodyguards as acquaintances or coworkers, and I fully understand that, one day, they might be reassigned and disappear without a word.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I scan the area as I stop dead in my tracks. It’s cold, but that reaction wasn’t from the wind. Several men stand by the entrance to one of the restaurants a little farther down the block, but none of them are looking at me.

Anderson and Daniels catch up, and I quickly shake off my discomfort.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and if they even get an inkling of trouble, they’ll pull the plug and force us to head back to the States before I can even blink.

* * *

Avery laughs, swiping mascara over her long dark lashes as she stares at me in the mirror of the club bathroom. “I told you it was going to be worth it to come out tonight.”

Smiling back, I run my hands down my dress.

I’m not sure my idea of fun is on par with hers, but sitting alone in the hotel room sounded a little pathetic, even for me. I’m most excited to visit the museums tomorrow and just walk down the street, studying the architecture and taking in the ambiance.

The drinking age here is eighteen, but back in the States, it’s twenty-one. Since this is my birthday trip, I figure I should have a little fun.

Once I return to the US, it’s back to living under the microscope. Having a dad who’s a well-known politician isn’t really all that glamorous. Anything and everything I do reflects on him.

I’m honestly shocked he didn’t put up more of a fight when I told him I wanted to come to Amsterdam with some friends from school.

Then again, he and my stepmother have been traveling lately in preparation for my younger brothers going to school in the fall. Once the boys start kindergarten, my stepmom will have no choice but to stay at home with them.

It’s kind of wild to have twin little brothers who are just beginning school when I’m already in college, but my dad legit started from scratch when my mom died.

“Come on.” Avery grabs my hand. “We still have time to find cute guys who don’t understand a word we say but are obsessed with our otherworldly beauty.”

“Right.” I laugh, letting her pull me toward the door to exit the ladies’ room.

This may very well be my only chance to find a random hookup in the Netherlands. If my security team was with me, they’d try to do a full background check before letting me leave with anyone, but I purposely fibbed and told them we were too tired to go out tonight. They’re jet-lagged, too, which probably helped.

The music is so loud that it seems to shake the floor as we head down the hallway and back to the dance floor.

I’ve never seen anything like the three-story building. Each area has its own ambiance and feel, but the bottom level is one massive dance floor with multiple bars lining the wall.

Avery laughs, looking at me over her shoulder. “This place is incredible.”

Incredibly loud?

Yeah, it is.

But I’m here to have fun, so I let her pull me along behind her.

* * *

---