Page 87 of The Reluctant Hero

Instead of calling in one of his lawyers, he’s leaving her dangling in the wind to exert pressure. He’s expecting her to beg for his help at any point.

He’s single-handedly forcing her to view us in the same light as her ex. As if she needs more reason to despise us all. It’s obvious that we are not what we seem. Ace said she believes the mafia rumors. So now we appear even worse. She doesn’t know us well enough yet to convince her otherwise.

We have all seen her rapid descent into her own mind, and none of us have been able to halt it. The only ones who still believe she’s unfazed are Mikael and Gabe.

She’s effectively shut us out so her doubts can consume her.

Ace, concerned over the changes, decided to stop by and get her out of her comfort zone. Shake some sense into her. Bring back the fire.

She was gone, and she stayed gone.

She didn’t show up at class either, alerting Cade and me that something was wrong. Shade watched for her with a scowl with South waiting right next to him. After thirty minutes of it, she gave him a deep kiss and left him floundering with a hard-on he had to sit down to conceal. A lot of angry texting followed.

Though Ace broke in and saw her belongings, he was still convinced that she had run. He didn’t call Mikael or Gabe about it. No. He called Cade and I instead. An unexpected team-up since Mikael is his go-to, much like Cade is mine. Because we’ve seen what is happening and refuse to support it in any way, not that she’s noticed during her withdrawal.

None of us had been able to find her, no matter where we looked.

When he called to report, he found her at home around three in the morning, passed out, and reeking of alcohol, it decided me.

No more passive waiting for her attention. No more letting her out of my sight when she leaves us.

Not to mention the fact that her drunken state with no safety parameters in place has triggered Ace in the worst way.

His sister died from that kind of innocent-seeming fun. Too drunk to walk in a straight line and deciding to walk home alone, she was met with a gang of men who decided to attack her. They assaulted her and left her to die in an alley alone. While Ace was busy at work with no idea anything was wrong.

They paid for it, of course. The extreme violence of his retribution caught Matthias’ eye, and the rest is history.

Perhaps that is why he’s in his truck grinding his teeth—so he doesn’t take his rage out on her.

I don’t have the same qualms.

Entering from the side door makes me sigh in frustration. This building is a security nightmare, and the most valuable thing I’ll ever know is here. A few broken lock pins and voila. Peace is achieved for the moment, and the exit is ruined. I’ll use a window to leave when I’m ready.

The stairs are easy for me to glide up without making a sound. My skill at stealth isn’t needed this late at night. The silent walk is a habit I won’t break. It’s saved my life too manytimes. No matter how much Cade insists it’s no longer necessary, something inside me doesn’t believe. It might never be believed. Safety is not a guarantee. Ever.

Someone in the hallway of the apartments is watching a murder documentary. I stifle a laugh at the irony of being surrounded by evil and choosing to believe it will never happen to you. As if the violence is contained on TV and will never pour out. If only life could be willed that way.

The volume is loud enough that I can’t tell if Amanda is still asleep. That will change as soon as I get the cameras set up, but for now, I’ll have to risk it.

Ace says she claimed not to sleep well. Here’s hoping she’s drunk enough to stay asleep. If she’s awake, this rendezvous will end vastly different. And please me more. She can see me up close and personal with no escape.

Her locks make my lips flatten in annoyance. Ace didn’t mention the abysmal security. I should have checked this place out. He’s slipping badly, his only focus on her. He’s intent on keeping her, not just for himself but for Gabe and Mikael as well. While leaving Cade and I in the cold. That’s changed recently, but might not last. Not that it will stop me, no matter how many punches or lectures I get.

She’s asleep. I can make out the lump of her form in the bed easily without a shade over the bedroom window. She’s face down and fully dressed, shoes included. It gives me a chance to take my time.

The place is barren. A single room without anything separating the kitchen from the meager mattress she has on the floor. Walled away is a tiny shower and toilet with a pathetic excuse of a sink. Her banking information is hidden in the medicine cabinet. Why here, of all places?

There’s a closet with a meager amount of clothes. Her cabinets have the bare minimum of food, which makes my eyesnarrow. As horrible as this place appears, it's still shelter. As empty as the cabinets are, she still has food. She’s focused only on the necessities, preparing herself for something.

I’ve lived in worse hovels. I may be rolling in money now, but it wasn’t always the case. I appreciate her simplicity and focus on the things required for survival. It’s cute that she thinks a bed and sheets are a necessity, though.

Once I have her, she won’t have to worry about any of this again. I’ll take care of it all whether she likes it or not. I’m already hard anticipating all the fights we’ll have about my insistence on taking care of her. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Her phone is first. A new one, proving that her previous phone had been cut off. I’m sure Gabe will find a way to turn it into an act. I clone it and set up a tracking app, opening the phone by scanning her sleeping face. Now, there won’t be any searches. I’ll have her in the palm of my hand any time I have a concern. She has very few contacts listed. Mom, Dad, and a few names that are gibberish with emojis attached.

I place the cameras to give me the best views of the apartment. Then, I open the app on my phone to verify that I have everything set up perfectly. I have enough angles that there’s nowhere she can hide from me. I have a clear shot of her on the bed that makes a smile of satisfaction overtake my face. The temptation of her becomes too much to control, and I send the app to the background and feast my eyes on her in the flesh.

The complacency of knowing she’ll be at work has spoiled us all. Even though I’m ending that now, I’m as much to blame as any of us for not having a more in-depth knowledge of what she does in her downtime.

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