Page 108 of Pack Rivals, Part One

His brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

"It isn't …" I gaze down at a packet of pasta, its contents trailing across the floor, "a trick to get me to stay at your house? Like the stupid French deal."

"Bea," he says earnestly, "no. You need to start taking this threat seriously."

"I am!" I notice the way some of the pasta shells have been crushed under foot. "But coming to this city was a chance to break free, to start over. No more baggage, no more restrictions. I can't go back to living that way."

He pinches my chin. "One day, Bea. You're going to tell me all about what that bastard did. But right now, you're going to pack a bag for you and Courtney."

* * *

Unlike me,Courtney is over the moon at the prospect of staying at the York Penthouse overnight. Most likely because, unlike me, she knows it's better than any five-star hotel the city has to offer; certainly more luxurious than any hotel the two of us could afford.

The place is gigantic, perched right at the top of the tower they own with views out over the harbor and the city and more rooms than most hotels.

We're greeted by Nate and Connor who crowd round me, cooing and fussing like I was actually abducted. Courtney watches the show with a huge knowing grin and the only way I eventually shake them off is to request a guided tour.

Nate immediately leaps at the chance and offering an elbow to me and one to Courtney, leads us into the apartment. It's expensively decorated with dark wood and brass accents. A huge living room has one giant L-shaped sofa and two love seats, the kitchen has more state-of-the-art gadgets than I've ever seen and both rooms own the view of the city.

Courtney explores every inch, opening cupboards, stroking furniture and admiring the numerous pieces of priceless art hanging on the wall.

"Shit," she says, after quizzing Nate about a particularly bright painting occupying the whole of one wall. "Do you have theMona Lisahere somewhere too?"

Nate laughs. "Been trying to get my hands on it but have not worked out how it can be done yet."

"How what can be done?" I ask, distracted by the dark ocean on the horizon.

"Robbing the Louvre."

Courtney laughs, but Nate's crazy enough that I think he might be serious.

"You ever seen it?" he whispers into my ear as Courtney starts picking up a collection of artifacts from a table and turning them over in her hands. "TheMona Lisa?"

"Two weeks ago, I'd only been out of Naw Creek a handful of times. I've never been out of the country before."

"I'll take you," he says. "To Paris." I screw up my nose. "You don't like the idea of Paris?" he asks with amusement.

"At first I was so excited to be here in the city, now I'm beginning to miss the countryside. The big skies and the big open spaces."

"Ahhh in that case, I'll take you to the Grand Canyon." I twist my head to peek at him. "That idea you like?"

"Maybe."

He grins. "Going to book us a private jet tomorrow, baby."

I screw up my nose again.

"What?" he asks.

"She doesn't believe in them," Courtney says.

"They're not good for the environment."

"You worried about the environment, little bird?"

"Yes, I mean, I'm not an eco warrior or anything but I try to do my bit. Walk when I can, recycle, that kind of thing."

"Okay," Nate says slowly. "I'll find an eco-friendly way for us to visit the Grand Canyon."

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