Page 1 of Under Their Protection

Chapter One

Anika

“Isaac coming to pickyou up?” Rowan asks. Rowan has been my boss for eight years now. I started as an intern and now I am the lead publishing agent at Genesis Press Inc. We just flew in from Los Angeles. We weren’t actually due to come back until tomorrow. Because I am second in command now, if Rowan goes then I go with him.

Rowan is quiet and brooding most of the time. Generally, he doesn’t say anything unless he has to, but I’m sure he listens to everything. I have a love-hate relationship traveling with Rowan. I love it because it’s stress-free and I actually get to relax in the silence of my own room. I hate it because he is even more quiet than usual. We interact and I often will end up with him in his room to eat dinner, but he is so reserved.

Mia Williams is my best friend and coworker. We’ve known each other since we started out as interns here. She knows every tiny detail about me. There isn’t anything that she and I can’t discuss.

“I called him a few times, but I think he is asleep. I’ll just take an Uber home,” I say as I grab my bag out of the backseat of Rowan's truck.

“I can drop you off,”he offers.

“It’s late,” I say as I shake my head. “You go ahead and go home. I’m going to put my laptop in my office while I wait for my ride.”

“Anika, it’s not a big deal,” he pushes.

“Seriously. It’s okay, Rowan. Go home,” I smile and step onto the sidewalk.

“Alright,” he sighs. “Text me when you get home so I know you didn’t get killed.”

“I will. Have a good night,” I say before going to the front door of the office building and sliding my key into the lock. As soon as I am in the building and have the alarm shut off, Rowan pulls out of the lot.

This building is old and creepy. I force myself to be a big girl and not turn every light in this place on as I make my way to my office. I request a ride and put my laptop on its charger while I wait.

It would be much easier if Isaac had answered my calls and texts, but whatever. He’s been acting sketchy the last few months. Isaac has always been a dick and has likely been cheating the entire time, but he’s damn good at hiding it. I keep thinking he’s cheating, but I am finding no evidence of another person. I have even gone as far as checking his phone. Admittedly, I know that that is an invasion of privacy, but what else am I supposed to do? We don’t have sex anymore. He is supposedly at work late multiple nights a week. He works as an accountant. What possibly could keep him at the office until eleven in the evening?

I see that my ride is a few minutes out, so I grab my things and hurriedly walk through the darkness to the front. I set the alarm before slipping out and locking the door.

My ride pulls up and I verify the license plate before jumping in. I can’t wait to get in bed and go to sleep. Although I would love to go in and pitch a fit over Isaac not answering his phone all day, that can wait until tomorrow.

I pull up to the house and a wave of anxiety smacks me when I see my sister’s red BMW sitting in my driveway behind Isaac’s car. It is one in the morning. There is absolutely no reason she should be here at all, let alone this late.

My stomach is churning as I walk up to the front door. I decide to enter as quietly as I possibly can. If they are fucking like my gut is telling me, I want to catch them together. I don’t want there to be any mistake about what is happening. No room for doubt. I’m going to feel like a massive bitch if she’s here because something is wrong.

I slowly turn my key in the lock until I hear it click. When I enter, I am greeted by the loud moans of my sister accompanied by an unmistakable sound of skin slapping against skin.

That fucking bitch.

I’m going to fucking kill both of them. Not only is Isaac cheating, but he’s in our bed fucking my older sister. The same sister who has had it out for me my entire fucking life. Everything that was mine, she took. It’s like she couldn’t stand for me to have anything remotely good. Not that Issac is “good”, but still. I don’t know why I thought my relationships were any different.

I stop and take a deep breath before I end up in jail for a double homicide. I quietly close the door and set my stuff down on the couch. I text Rowan so that he doesn’t come looking for me in fear of my potentialdeath.

Me

I’m home

Rowan

Thank you for letting me know. Have a good night.

“Oh, God. Isaac,” Harper moans.

“You like that, baby?” Isaac grunts.

I put my phone away and take slow steps to the back bedroom. I don’t know what I’ll do when I get in there, but I refuse to blow up. I willnotlook like the crazy one. I am going to just get my shit and get out. I take another deep breath before I sling the door open and step into the bedroom.

The scene I am walking in on is just as vile as I imagined. My sister is on the bed on her elbows and knees. My fiancé is on his knees behind her and balls deep. They are both completely naked and have noticeable sweat on their bodies. I think I just interrupted them seconds before they were going to come.

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