Page 28 of Salacious Devotion

“In a safe location. Two people know she’s with me. They were with me when I saw her last night. They know our story and can be trusted. They’re helping us stay out of sight today, but I need to move her to my penthouse. She’ll be safe there. No one will find her.”

Andrew groans. “She can’t just disappear and not show up for work or her apartment. That would cause people to call the police. Her boss, for one. Her landlord for another. Then she’d be a missing person with her face all over the media.”

I wince. He’s right. I’ve thought of that, but that’s why I’m calling. “I understand that. I’m hoping we can come up with a plan that will get her out of that situation and into my care without the fallout.”

Andrew leans back and rubs his chin. “Paige…”

She bites her lip.

“Is this what you want? You’d essentially be out of my protection if you go rogue like this. Do you understand the implications? It’s not like you can change your mind tomorrow and come back into the fold.”

Paige lifts one leg and sets her heel on the chair, hugging her knee against her chest. She leans her chin on her knee. “I don’t know what else to do. I can’t just walk out of here and pretend I never saw Dane.”

I slide my hand up her back and grip her neck before bending to kiss her cheek.

Andrew sighs as he picks up a pencil on the table and starts tapping it.

“People leave government protection all the time,” I point out. Andrew knows this; he just doesn’t like it. In most cases, I would agree with him. It would put the client at serious risk and, by default, the case itself if the criminal happens to find them.

Andrew leans forward, gripping the pencil hard. “Damion Tombeck is a very dangerous criminal.”

I’m grateful Andrew has provided me with the man’s name. I could have gotten it from Paige, but I have not yet.

“And he has no idea someone survived that day,” I retort. “I’m not suggesting Paige change her name or reclaim her identity. I’m not suggesting she get in touch with anyone else from her previous life. We’re clear across the country. I have the means to protect her. She won’t leave my penthouse for any reason until the threat is removed.”

Andrew shakes his head. “The authorities have been hunting Tombeck for three years. Every time someone gets close to him, he slips through their fingers. The man lives in the wind. What if no one ever finds him, or it’s twenty years from now? Paige can’t hide in your penthouse for her entire life.”

I smirk. “No offense, Andrew, but my security company can find that motherfucker far faster than anyone working for the US government. Paige won’t be hiding for long. I’ll make sure of it.”

Andrew tips his head back and groans. “Fuck.”

That’s about how I expected him to react. Fuck is right.

Fuck the system that left a single woman completely on her own for the rest of her life while not working hard enough to find the man who chased her into hiding.

We live in an imperfect world with a fucked-up level of bureaucracy. Luckily, there are private entities like mine that can do a job faster. Yes, it’s expensive. I’m not cheap. People who can afford my services use Levitt Security to find someone or keep themselves safe. I also take pro-bono cases when warranted because I can.

Andrew shifts his attention to Paige. “Is there anything I can say to change your mind?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t see how I have a choice here.”

Damn straight, she doesn’t have any alternative options.

“Okay. Here’s what has to happen. You have to get out of your current situation cleanly. That means you have to go back to your apartment, give notice to your boss, and end your lease. That is mandatory. Say you’ve decided to move somewhere warmer or you got tired of the rain. Whatever you want, but you can’t just disappear. That would be disastrous.”

I fist my hand on my thigh. I hate this part, but he’s right. It would be irresponsible otherwise. She has to go home. It’s going to kill me, but it has to happen.

She glances at me, and I nod. “It’s the only way.”

“Okay.” She deflates a bit, which pleases me. I’m glad she’s not anxious to part from me.

“I’ll need to bring two of my guys into the inner circle,” I tell Andrew. “I’m not leaving Paige unprotected while she ties up loose ends.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Andrew grumbles. “Keep me updated.”

“Will do.” I end the connection and pull Paige onto my lap.

She leans against me, wrapping her arms around me. “The thought of moving into your home and hiding there indefinitely makes me very nervous. The thought of walking out of here and going back to my apartment to pretend nothing is amiss makes me want to pull my hair out.”

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