Page 9 of Sunrise

My stomach drops and I crawl off the woman instantly. I don’t even look at the camera to make a signal.

I smash the panic button.

Chapter 4

Vault

Racing down the hall to Sophie, I’m beat by one of the extra security staff members we have working tonight. He barrels into the room and I’m hot on his heels.

“I got you.” Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I get her out of there while security deals with the couple that scared her.

She’s shaking like a leaf.

The problem is, I didn’t see anything go wrong, and I was watching the entire time.

“I’m… I was just…”

Her trembling exhales makes me more worried. “Did they say something? Threaten you?”

“I…”

“What happened?” Dmitri asks, running towards us.

“I need a minute to think!” she yells.

My hands fly up and I step back. Dmitri stops on a dime.

Sophie’s eyes are wild. She looks like she wants to bolt.

“Here.” I rip off my dress shirt and hold it out for her to take, because I don’t think she wants to be touched.

Sophie snags it from me and puts it on, covering her bra and underwear.

“What the fuck happened?” Ryker asks, storming over to us.

I’m tongue-tied and lost. Sophie looks like she’s going to cry. Fucking hell.

“Come on.” Dmitri brings her in for a hug. “You’re safe. We’re not ever going to let anything happen to you.”

Her hand slowly glides up his back until she’s halfheartedly hugging him back.

I wish she’d have clung to me instead.

But I didn’t force myself on her, hugging her without her permission, and Dmitri did. They’re close, so I let it slide. Besides, I have no claim to this woman, and if we’re all fighting to protect her, that’ll make it worse.

Ryker tips his head. “Let’s go back to my office.”

“No.” She peels away from Dmitri. “I need to leave.”

“Soph, what’s going on?”

“I… I don’t know. I’m just… not myself right now.”

Guilt slams into me. That Shibari show fucked everything up. First Knox, now Sophie. I should have taken her on a bike ride instead of saying I wanted to get back to work. This is my fault.

“How about that ride?”

She turns to me. “What?”

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