Page 38 of Duty Unbound

I snorted, dropping into the chair beside him. “You’re not scheduled for another four hours.”

“Sleep’s overrated.” He gestured toward a coffee mug that looked like it had been refilled multiple times. “Besides, I’m tweaking the motion detection algorithm. Some false positives on the east fence.”

Five days had passed since we’d moved in, and things had been quiet. Almost too quiet. The stalker had gone to ground, which either meant they’d been scared off or they were planning something bigger.

“Nova giving you any trouble?” Jace asked, switching to a different camera feed.

“Nothing I can’t handle.” I leaned back in the chair. “She’s used to getting her way.”

“They all are.” Jace chuckled. “You know celebrities. Same DNA, different packaging.”

The tour was due to start in just over a week. Security for a moving target was always more complicated than a fixed location. We’d have multiple venues to secure, transportation routes to plan, hotel rooms to sweep. The entire team was already shifting focus to those preparations.

“How’s Mel handling the social media leak?” Jace asked, eyes still on the screens.

I frowned. “What leak?”

Jace spun in his chair to face me. “You haven’t seen it? Someinsider sourceposted that Nova might be postponing or canceling her tour. It’s spreading like wildfire. Nova’s been blowing up Mel’s phone all day about it—the app couldn’t help much with that.”

That explained Mel’s tense expression when I’d passed her in the hallway earlier. Nova would be beside herself over something like this—especially now, a week before the tour was set to begin.

“At least Mel is level-headed,” Jace commented, turning back to the monitors. “Makes our job easier when someone in charge actually listens.”

A soft knock interrupted us. The door pushed open wider, and Mel stood in the doorway.

Speak of the devil.

“Sorry,” she said, hesitating at the threshold. “I saw the light. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Perfect timing, actually,” Jace said, standing abruptly. “I need to grab some equipment from my room. Ethan can show you the system if you have questions.”

I shot Jace a look, which he returned with a barely suppressed grin before slipping out the door. Subtle as a sledgehammer. The guys had definitely noticed my…interest in Mel. I’d be hearing about this later.

“Don’t mind him,” I said as Mel entered. “He’s allergic to small talk.”

She smiled, and something in my chest tightened. Like the other night, she was in casual clothes—leggings and an oversized sweater that slipped off one shoulder. Her hair was loose around her face, and she wore no makeup. She looked comfortable. Real.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she admitted, moving closer to the bank of monitors. “Thought I’d check in, see how everything’s running.”

“Take a seat,” I offered, gesturing to Jace’s vacated chair. “I can walk you through it.”

She slid into the chair, tucking one leg beneath her. I tried not to notice how the movement brought her knee closer to mine or how she smelled like vanilla and something floral.

“These are the main exterior cameras,” I explained, pointing to the top row of screens. “Full coverage, no blind spots. These monitor all entry points. And these—” I indicated the bottom row “—are the interior hallways and common areas.”

“No bedrooms, I hope?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Privacy ends at your door,” I confirmed. “Though we do recommend basic precautions in your private spaces. Curtains closed, that sort of thing.”

She nodded, studying the screens intently. “It’s impressive. I feel safer already.”

“That’s the goal.”

She turned toward me, those green eyes catching mine. “The tour starts next week. Are we ready?”

“We will be.” I shifted to pull up the tour schedule on another screen. “My team is already coordinating with venue security, mapping transportation routes, securing hotel floors.” I hesitated, then added, “Jace mentioned the social media leak. About the tour possibly being canceled.”

Mel exhaled heavily, running a hand through her hair. “Nova’s been in a tailspin all day about it. Her publicist has been trying to squash the rumors, but it’s not so easy.”

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