Page 18 of A Forbidden Love (Fraser Crime Syndicate 3)

Ryan’s head snaps in Zeke’s direction. “Who is going to protect you?” he asks.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ve got someone else lined up.”

“Mr Fraser…”

“I need someone I can trust. There’s no one I trust more than you.”

If that assertion pleases him, he doesn’t show it. “I’ll do whatever you ask.”

“I know, and I know you’ll protect Aurelia with your life.”

Kane steps forward. “We’ve bought you an apartment in the same building as Luke’s place. It’s not a penthouse suite, but it is safe, secure, and that devious bitch won’t know where you are.”

“It’s too much,” I tell them.

“Money isn’t exactly a problem, Aurelia,” Luke says. “It was pocket change.”

“And we want you somewhere we can keep an eye on you. Luke and Sariah will be just a floor away from you and you will be able to have some independence while keeping hidden.”

“So, I have to be a prisoner to stay safe?” I ask.

“For now, yes,” Zeke says. “We need to move carefully. Our parents have a lot of support from within the Firm. There are many who think you should just marry to cement whatever alliances dear old Mum and Dad want.”

“Why doesn’t she just marry someone else?” Luke says. “They can’t marry her if she’s already married.”

“We’re not liberating her from one marriage only to push her into another,” Kane snaps.

Luke holds his hands up. “It was just a suggestion.”

“The problem is our fucking parents. They’re a problem.”

“They’ve always been a problem,” Zeke mutters. “This isn’t anything new.”

“Yeah, but now we have to deal with their bullshit. This can’t stand.”

“I already talked to them. Charlotte doesn’t care. She knows what she wants and she’s single-minded when she wants something.”

“So, it’s hopeless,” I say. “Either way, I’m going to end up forced into a marriage because you can’t protect me every minute of the day and I can’t stay locked up forever.”

No one says anything because everyone is thinking the same thing.

Bailey reaches out and grabs my hand. “It sucks. It really does. But the alternative is worse, and this will only be for a short time until your brothers can figure out how to get you out of this. And they will figure it out. If needs be, we’ll call on every ally we have to make sure you’re safe.”

I want to believe her, I really do, but I don’t see a way out of this.

Luke digs in his pocket and pulls out a set of keys. He hands them to me. “Your apartment keys.”

I take them somewhat hesitantly. “You can visit me and Sariah any time.”

Zeke gives Ryan his attention. “You’re not to leave her side. Any trouble, call. We’ll be there as quickly as we can.”

I stand, as does Ryan. Zeke comes to me. “I need your phone.”

Frowning, I nod in the direction of the table. “It’s there.”

Luke picks it up and pockets it. “We don’t want her to track you. We’ll sort out getting a new handset for you.”

“This isn’t forever,” Zeke tells me.

“Then why does it feel like it is?”

“Charlotte is desperate, and while she is, she’s unpredictable, but this will pass. She’ll come to realise she can’t have you and she’ll move on.”

I doubt that, but I keep that thought to myself.

Ryan’s hand comes to the small of my back, and I glance at him. “Time to go, Miss Fraser,” he says.

I take in my family, feeling like this is a goodbye, even though I know it’s not. Then I follow Ryan out of the house.

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