Page 57 of Unguarded

“Do you have his number?”

I shake my head. Cash never asked for mine or gave me his. Ember takes the phone over to where Brooks is standing by the door. He smiles at her, grasping her elbow. I’ve known something is going on between them for a while. They seem to be holding back from going further than playful looks and touches. He takes the phone from her.

I turn away, looking back at myself in the mirror as Sergio finishes up my lip color. Ember comes back over and starts taking a video of me, probably to post on my story.She’s taken the content seriously lately, and she’s got a great eye for it.

“What did he say?” I can’t help but ask.

“He sent Cash a screenshot.”

“Hmm.”

A knock sounds on my dressing room door. A moment later, Danny brings over a large bouquet of red roses. He removes the note and hands it to me. A tingle of excitement shoots through my belly.

Are they from him?

Maybe he felt bad for taking off like that and not saying goodbye. I rip open the note with shaky fingers and look down at the handwritten card.

Did you miss me, Kitten?

I gasp, dropping the note. It flutters to the floor as the edges of my vision blur. The room starts to spin, and I feel myself falling into darkness.

Brooks is poised over me,his hand cupped behind my head. I blink up at him, the fluorescent lights behind his head making me squint.

“Hey, talk to me. Can you hear me?”

His face is blurry. I feel a tear stream down the side of my face.

Dammit, they just finished my makeup.

“Did she hit her head?” Ember’s shrill voice filters through the haze.

I turn toward where it’s coming from and see her kneeling beside Brooks with wide eyes.

“Is she bleeding?”

“I don’t think so, but I think she might have knocked her head against the counter when she fell. I wasn’t close enough to catch her.”

“How far out is the doctor?” Ember says, her voice sounding high-pitched.

Fidel is pacing behind her, a phone pressed to his ear. “That’s unacceptable! We have an emergency here. I don’t care if he has to get on a motorcycle to make it through the traffic. Get him here.”

He angrily pushes the End button on the call before kneeling down beside me. I try sitting up, and Brooks helps me by supporting my back.

“What happened? Did you just get lightheaded, mija?” Fidel’s eyes are squinting down at me with clear concern. His hand finds mine, holding it tightly. “Where are you hurting?”

I look down at the floor around me. When I see the note has fluttered a few feet away, I point to it. Fidel leans over, reaching for it. His face pales when he reads the scribbled words.

Brooks snatches it from his grip. “Shit.”

“I’m fine.” I move to stand, but a wave of nausea rolls over me.

Hands grab for me, supporting my weight as I rise.

“It just startled me—that’s all.” I look up at Brooks. “I don’t want anyone else to know about this.”

He blinks at me, exhaling. “If he?—”

“No.” My voice is firm. “It’s no one else’s business, except for thecurrentsecurity detail.”

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