Page 43 of My Grumpy Billionaire Protector

“Which part?”

I flash her a smile. “Both.”

Riley laughs and lowers her head, holding my gaze. “Okay, yeah. I get what you mean but try not to do either of those things moving forward.”

“I thought I was a guest?”

Riley gives me a pointed look. “Even guests have their limits.”

I throw my hands up in the air and sigh. “Look, I know what you’re trying to tell me, and I appreciate it, but I don’t think I can do that.”

“Because you can’t or because you won’t?”

“Does it matter?”

“If you can, you should,” Riley advises, bringing a hand up to shield her eyes from the sun. “It’ll make things easier for you, and it’ll make the whole thing go a lot smoother.”

“Forthem, maybe.”

Riley places a hand on my shoulder and gives it a light squeeze. “For you too. You don’t want to get on their bad side. Trust me on this.”

Silence stretches between us.

“I’ll try,” I offer, giving her a tight-lipped smile.

Riley removes her hand, and we pick up the pace. In no time at all, we break out into a sprint, and I hear Hayes and Felix gaining on us, barely breaking a sweat. With my arms up at my sides and the sun high above me, I want to pretend like nothing is wrong.

For a short while, I even manage.

Until they come to an abrupt halt, and I skid to a stop, coughing when I kick up dust. Riley gives me a brief look, and I fall into step beside her while Felix and Hayes take the lead. As one unit, we walk back to the house, and I trudge along, each step feeling heavier and more difficult than the last.

I feel like an inmate being led to the gallows.

Except I have no idea when the floor will drop out, only that it will. When it does, I want to be ready. I want to face it head-on without giving them the satisfaction of knowing they’ve won. But I am in the middle of a heavily guarded compound, with around-the-clock guards and barely any wiggle room. Having ended up behind enemy lines, I know I have no choice but to listen, wait, and seize the chance when it’s presented to me.

And Riley is the key.

She has to be.

Not only have we struck up an odd sort of camaraderie, but the woman, who is about my age with a kind smile and a reluctance to be a part of this, has taken me under her wing. I have no idea if that is why they’ve assigned her to me, but I have to believe it will work out in my favor. Riley wants to get out too, probably more than I do. Even though she still has some time before her debt is paid, it doesn’t mean we can’t help each other out.

All she has to do is give me a little slack.

After that, the rest is up to me. When the house emerges in the distance, against a backdrop of clear blue skies and a bright yellow sun, my chest lurches. Tight knots form in my stomach, growing harder and harder until the fear in my chest snakes its way around my heart and squeezes.

You’re going to be fine, Evie. You’ve gotten out of trouble before. Don’t let fear cloud your judgment, okay? Do what Riley suggested. Keep quiet and pay attention to what’s happening.

I keep my head down as we approach the driveway and duck in through a side door. Hayes and Felix disappear somewhere inside the labyrinth of the house while Riley stays by my side and escorts me upstairs. Outside the door, I pause and twist around to face her, a plea lodged in my throat. After one look at her face, I know I can’t ask.

Not yet.

Riley won’t be able to turn me down, and I have no idea what kind of consequences she would face. Not only will they be able to trace it back to her, but I’m also certain her father would have to pay the price as well.

Any chance she has of being able to walk away would be jeopardized by a small act of mercy.

As much as I want it to be over, I can’t guarantee anything, not even my own safe escape. I press my mouth into a thin white line and dig my nails into the inside of my palms.

“You’re going to be okay,” Riley assures me, her lips lifting into a small smile. “I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but you will. Just remember what I told you, and don’t let Shane bully you. He’s just not used to women like you.”

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