Page 19 of Siren's Game

I glance around one more time before I open my car door and get out. Nobody moves and I can’t see anything suspicious as I circle the car to open her door for her. She jumps right out.

But suddenly, five steps toward the entrance, I realize our instincts were right. We're in trouble.

"Kayla, look here!" Both of us startle at the scream, and before we even realize what's happening, there's a bunch of people around us, shoving cameras into our faces. I can’t even tell how many.

Where the fuck did they come from?

Flashes go off, and people are suddenly screaming at us from all sides. I freeze in a moment of panic before adrenaline kicks in and I take charge.

"Fuck," Kayla curses behind me and shields her eyes from the bright light with her hand. I try my best to push through the people and pave a way for us, when I suddenly feel a tug on my shirt. Looking behind me, I see Kayla, arms close to her body as though she's shielding herself, squinted eyes darting around full of panic.

"Come on." I take her hand in mine and pull her after me. "I got you," I tell her, but internally, I'm panicking.

This is crazier than anything I've ever experienced with paparazzi. Usually, they take a few shots from afar and that’s it.

Not these guys, though. They are pushy and rude and so goddamn loud as they scream into my ear, I can't even hear my own thoughts.

It's not easy. I need to push people aside, force a way through the crowd of photographers and now screaming fans who shove their phones into our faces, only for them to walk with us and continue to push.

I'm a tall man and not exactly delicate, but holy shit, I've never felt so small. Fuck.

Luckily, the building is used to high-profile guests. After a few moments, I realize security is running out and towards us, parting the sea of people like a pushy group of several Moses’ and giving us way to hurry inside the building.

Once the glass doors close behind us, I pull Kayla further and further inside, to the other side of the lobby, I don't even care where, as long as we get a wall not made of glass between us and the fucking purge mob outside those doors.

After we round a corner and are definitely out of sight and earshot, I stop, leaning my back against a cold marble wall.

"Are you okay?" I startle when I hear her soft voice next to me. She's askingme?

"I'm alright," I say, my voice unusually raspy and clear my throat. "Just surprised by that.” I make a vague gesture to the corner. “You?"

"You have a scratch there." She points at my forearm, and I look down, surprised. I hadn't even realized.

"What the fuck was that?" For a moment, we look at each other, both trying to catch our breath and calming our heart rate.

"That is someone leaking a Siren's location." Kayla shrugs and finds a window to fix her hair in the reflection.

"Wait a second. This is a regular thing for you?" I ask her, eyes wide with shock. What the fuck? You’re telling me whenever someone finds out where she is, she needs to deal withthat?

"Yeah," she confirms with a shrug and pats down her skirt. The weird fold thingies in it are all messed up and she makes them right again. "That's why we usually pay attention to not have our locations leaked. Or take security along. Honestly, I didn't think it would be necessary for here, but someone must have blabbed." She sighs and straightens her back. "Honestly? I’m pretty sure it was their taxi driver."

"Possible." I shake my head as the realization really sets in. You're telling me that this woman—who might be tall but definitely not equipped at all to face those kinds of masses alone—needs to deal with grown men screaming at her and shoving cameras into her face on a regular basis?

Even with security, what kind of fucked up situation is that?

"Let's go," Kayla says loudly, and I realize she's crossed the little room and is already standing in one of their elevators, holding the door open for me. "We're super late already."

Kayla

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

I can't count the times this word flies through my head. Every single time I get swarmed like that, it makes my heart beat so fast I feel like I'm about to have a panic attack, like I’m about to hyperventilate and freeze involuntarily.

I’d never admit it to his face, but I’m so goddamned relieved Asher was with me. There’s no telling how this kind of thing would have ended if I had to face that mob alone.

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