Page 22 of Duty Unbound

“I’ve been trying to shield her so she can focus on her music and the tour. But it’s overwhelming, and I can’t do it alone anymore.” I tapped the drive. “These are screenshots of social media messages and emails. The paper ones are the physical letters that have been sent to her fan mail address.”

Ethan picked up the folder, flipping it open. His expression darkened as he scanned the first page.

“You’ve been dealing with all of this yourself?” He looked up at me. “Why didn’t you show these to the police?”

“I gave them copies of everything after the break-in. But Nova’s a public figure. They say most of this is standard obsessive fan behavior.” I swallowed hard. “But after those roses showed up in our kitchen… I don’t think it’s standard at all.”

Ethan set the folder down and picked up the flash drive. “Does Nova know about these?”

“Some of them. The more benign ones. Not the overtly threatening notes or the ones with the disturbing drawings.”

My phone chimed again, and I glanced at it out of habit.

Mel where are you???

I need you here NOW

The costume designer is making everything too tight

PLEASE COME BACK

I sighed and typed a quick response.

Meeting with Ethan Cross. Tell her to fix it or we’ll find someone who will. Home soon.

“I’m sorry,” I said, tucking my phone away. “This is exactly why we need professional security. I can’t be everywhere at once, and Nova needs?—”

“We’ll take the job.”

I froze mid-sentence. “What?”

“Citadel Solutions will take the job.” Ethan’s expression was resolute. “But there are conditions.”

Relief washed over me so powerfully I nearly slid off the arm of my chair. “Anything.”

“That’s a dangerous word, Mel.”

“I mean it. Whatever you need to keep Nova safe.”

Ethan leaned against the edge of the conference table. “First, full access to the estate. We’ll need to completely overhaul the security system—cameras, motion sensors, reinforced locks, the works.”

“Done.”

“Second, Nova follows every protocol without complaint. No exceptions, no special treatment.”

“She will. I promise.”

“Third, staff vetting. Everyone who works in that house or has access to Nova gets thoroughly background-checked. Those who don’t pass are gone.”

I nodded. “Understood.”

“Finally—” he held my gaze “—you take care of yourself too.”

That caught me off guard. “What?”

“You can’t protect your sister if you’re running yourself into the ground. You need to delegate. Hire an assistant. Set boundaries. And when we’re in public, you stay aware of your surroundings.”

I wanted to argue, to tell him that I could handle it, that I’d been handling it for years. But the truth was, I was exhausted. The weight of managing Nova’s career, her emotions, and now her safety had worn me down more than I cared to admit.

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