Page 114 of Beautiful Revenge
Of course, Albert ran away to his family’s compound on the beach.
“I can’t believe he ran away to Florida,” I mutter. “I’ll never not be embarrassed that I fell for his lies.”
“Jennings turned it over to the FBI,” Dean says. “Your ex is now under arrest and enjoying a stay in a little local resort called the Miami-Dade slammer. Little does Humphries know this will probably save his life. Your stepmom is another story. We have no fucking idea where she is.”
“Dad froze her bank accounts. She’ll be so desperate, she’ll turn up eventually.”
Devon stretches his arm across the seat at my back. “You’re not the only one with friends, Dean. Patrick’s buddies at the federal level are working on this too. There is a warrant issued for Janie’s arrest. She and Albert will be safer with the feds than on the run. It’s not every day that one hand can bite you and feed you at the same time.”
I stare out the window as we climb the mountain to themanor. The evergreens zip by as the Chief of Police breaks the speed limit with every twist and turn we take.
Devon wraps a finger around the end of my hair. “You okay?”
“Yes. This is all so much. I’m glad Albert is safe. I want him to pay for what he’s done to me, but I can’t reconcile the fact people are ordering others to be killed. That happens on TV, not in real life.”
“Then you’ll be happy to know that Roman Malloy is safe and sound,” Dean continues. “Not only has his condition improved, but he’s been transferred to a high security area of the hospital. I’ve got an armed officer on him twenty-four-seven, and the doctors said I could question him in the next couple of days. Now we need to get you up into Devon’s turret so no one can get to you.”
“Protecting the bad guys,” I mutter. “It feels so ... counterintuitive.”
Dean makes the final turn, and I see the estate sitting on top of the mountain. “It’s my job. Good and bad, I do my part to protect and serve all the drama queens of Winslet, whether they’re official citizens or not.”
Devon scans the area and not in a way that makes me feel like he’s appreciating the millions he spent on the property. “Take us around back to the kitchen doors, would you, Dean?”
Yep. He’s not taking in the landscape. My mind goes straight to the tennis courts. I lean deeper into the side of his chest and can’t wait to get back to his suite.
Dean takes a sharp left, and we zip around to the loading area, a place I’ve never been. We come to an abrupt stop by the loading dock.
“I’ll call you on the tapped line soon. We need to put the plan into motion. Appreciate the ride, Dean,” Devon says as he reaches for my hand. I’m surprised to see Blake, the maître d, standing at our door waiting for us. I haven’t seen him since the night I ate alone at the Greenhouse.
“I’ll only answer the tapped line for you,” he grits.
“Thank you for the ride,” I add and slide out of the backseat after Devon to greet Blake. “What are you doing here?”
Blake gives me a cute little wave. “I’m here to get yourbags. The number one rule of working here is we have to multitask, right, boss?”
I turn to Devon. “I can get my own suitcase.”
“If I’m going to be your shield, I can’t do it juggling a shit ton of bags.” Devon takes my hand and addresses Blake. “You can take them up to my suite and leave them outside the door. I need to stop by my office on the way.”
Blake smiles like he doesn’t have a care in the world. I’m jealous. “Sure thing. It’s good to see you again, Ms. Madison.”
“Call me Harlow,” I insist.
He loses the smile. “Oh, I would never. My grandma would be so disappointed in me.”
Well, I don’t want that either.
Blake hurries off with our bags, and Devon takes me by the hand. We weave through the kitchen, back hallways, and more doors than I can count before he takes out a key.
“Wow, I had no idea there were so many secret hallways in this place.”
Devon unlocks a door, and we’re in the old library that he made his office, but we came through a secret entry that doubles as a bookcase. He walks across the dark room and flips on the lights. “Old man Winslet liked his secret passageways. This place has a few. I’ll show you the rest of them someday. I need to get a few files before we go back to the room.”
“Paper files,” I echo. “Going old school? Everything here is updated. I didn’t take you for a filing cabinet kind of guy.”
“Another jab at my age. I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.” He shoots me a sexy smirk and shakes his head. “Maybe some old school shit.”
I lean back on his desk, cross my arms, and take him in while he works. He’s wearing a pair of jeans, which I’ve never seen him in before today. It’s paired with a button-down white linen shirt rolled up his veined forearms. Casual and comfortable. He looks like a Sunday afternoon at home on a spring day.
