Page 47 of No Way Forward

“It’s not fair, but you have to realize that your dad has enemies.”

“I get that, but it shouldn’t make me a prisoner.”

“You and he will just go away for a little while. Once he’s off this case—which I told him not to take in the first—” She stopped herself. “Once it’s over, they won’t need to target him. Plus, the police will have a chance to find the person who shot at him. Can’t you be patient that long?”

“No.”

“He’s doing this for you, Novette. If he only had to worry about himself, he wouldn’t even slow down for a second. He would keep working the case until his client won.”

“His criminal client.”

Sheila sighed. “I see that I’m not going to get through to you. All you can see is what you want. It doesn’t matter what your dad is dealing with.”

“What is he dealing with? He’s never confided in me.”

“I have to get back to the office. I’ve instructed the maid to bring up your lunch in a little while.”

“So I’m remanded to my room. Is that it?”

“You can have free rein of the mansion, but don’t try to leave. Don’t give the guys a hard time. Your dad will come home early if he can.”

As soon as Sheila left, Novette changed her clothes. She replaced the dress and heals with comfortable sweats and sneakers. After packing a small duffel bag of extra clothes, she opened the door and peeked out. Unfortunately, her bedroom door was in direct sight of the first floor where the guards were stationed. She wouldn’t be able to leave that way.

Mentally going over the mansion’s floor plan, she realized if she used the balcony outside her bedroom, she could get to a room out of the guards’ sight and escape to the first floor. After that, she could leave. Figuring out the security on the grounds could come later.

Soon enough, she would on her way and reunited with Zaid. Let her dad come home later and wonder where she had gone. How she would love to see his face. She had escaped out from under his thumb once, and she would do it again.

Chapter 21

Azalie pulled her car to a stop in front of the mansion and grabbed her bag. She jogged up to the door and opened it to find her path blocked by a human wall.

“Ouch, you idiot.” She rubbed her nose. “Get out of the way.”

“I’m sorry, you can’t come in.”

She blinked at the giant fool who thought he could defy her. “I said move right now.”

The bodyguard raised an eyebrow. “Go away.”

That’s when Azalie finally realized this wasn’t the usual meathead around the property. He must be new. Who could keep up with the staff around here? Well, he was kind of cute, come to think of it. She was between lovers at the moment, and even if she wasn’t, who cared? Maybe a little charm.

She ran a hand over his chest and tossed him a saucy smile. “You know if you wanted to be nice, I might feel like being ‘nice’ too.”

He just stared at her. She scoured her brain for another way to turn him on, one that didn’t include her hand sliding lower.

Ugh, I’m not in the mood.

She dropped the sweetness and scowled at him. “Excuse me? You’d better move, or I’m going to have you fired. Maybe you don’t realize how much of a close family friend I am. Richard loves me, and Novette and I are like sisters.”

The sister thing was a stretch, especially since they had a fight. Azalie planned to make up with Novette to get the lowdown on what happened after she told Richard about Novette and Zaid. Her mom wasn’t answering her phone and neither was Novette. Curiosity was killing her.

When the big guy didn’t step aside, Azalie pretended to give up. As soon as he let his guard down, she darted under his arm and ran into the mansion. She didn’t get more than five steps before he swooped her off her feet. She screamed the walls down.

“Get your filthy hands off me, you beast!”

A door nearby opened, and Richard appeared, bellowing, “What’s all the noise about?”

“Richard,” Azalie whined. “Tell him to let me go. I’m here to see my best friend Novette. This buffoon is taking his job way too seriously.”

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