Page 86 of Coast

“I have… enough leverage that I think I can prevent him from trying to take her sometime in the future.”

“Blackmail?”

“Something like that. But chances are, he will forget all about us. He already replaced me. She was even wearing my swimsuit when I went over there.”

“Real prince.”

“Yeah. I ended up just… storming out without a place to stay or money. I just couldn’t be near him. He made Lainey startle twice.”

My jaw clenched.

“What’s his name again?”

“Travis.”

“His full name.”

“Why?” she asked, shooting me a knowing smirk.

“Might want to have a talk with him.”

“The same kind of talk that blackened your eye and bloodied your nose?”

“Nah. No. A much more in-depth talk than that,” I said, getting a little laugh out of her.

“Coast, what should I do about these guys? Do I go to the police?”

“I can’t tell you not to go to the cops. But shit gets complicated with you not having reported the crime you witnessed originally. And even if you don’t tell them that part, the chances of them being able to find them are kind of low. And the best they can do when it comes to protecting you is to have a cruiser pass by the motel every now and again.”

“What then? I need to uproot? Move? How far?”

I could hear the silent question there:How much is that going to cost?

Because if money wasn’t an issue for her, she would have been long gone. She and Lil’ Bit would be somewhere safe.

“How about you stay here?” I suggested.

“I can’t ask—”

“You’re not asking. I’m offering.”

“Can you do that? What about your president?”

“It’s fine. You would be safe here. And I can work on figuring out the next steps to deal with these fucks.”

“I don’t—”

“Just say yes. I can go collect your shit from the motel. Maybe give Brooke a warning about what is going on, so she is keeping an eye out. But if you’re not there, I don’t think they’re in any sort of danger.”

She wanted to say yes.

She just needed a push.

“You need to keep Lil’ Bit safe.”

Her kid was her Achilles’ heel.

“Yeah,” she agreed. “Okay. Thank you, Coast. Really.”

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