Page 8 of The Billionaire and the Stripper (The Manhattan Billionaires)

“I’ll keep you safe,” I swore. “I’ll keep both of you safe. But he needs to be warned off right now, and a visit from the police will do just that.”

She gave her statement to the police, detailing everything that had gone down since morning, and I told the cops that my brother was helping Tia out of a difficult situation. I didn’t go into any more detail than that because it was up to Tia to tell them exactly what her brother had planned for her.

We signed our statements, and the officer promised to keep us updated.

“You can’t stay here tonight, Ms. Kramer. It might not be safe. Can you stay with a friend?” he suggested.

“I’ll take care of it,” I said firmly.

He gave me a measuring look and nodded once.

“We’ll be in touch,” he said, and the cops left.

“Pack a bag, Celine. You’re coming with me,” I said once we were alone.

“Coming where?”

“To my house,” I said shortly.

“But Tia is at your house, Marcus. I bet Arjun has people watching me. I don’t want to lead him straight to Tia,” she cried.

Damn it! She was right.

“Alright, I’ll book us into a hotel,” I said.

“You don’t have to come with me,” she argued.

“Trust me. If you check into a hotel by yourself, Arjun will be banging on your door before the night is out. You need me, Celine.”

She sighed heavily and scowled.

“I don’t want to drag you into this, Marcus. This has nothing to do with you, and I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”

“Look, I can’t tell you too much, but the reason you’re in this position at all is because my brother decided to rescue Tia. And the Donovans always pay their debts,” I said firmly.

“Fine. But book us into the cheapest hotel you can find because I have mortgage payments to make and I don’t think I can work until this blows over,” she said, with another scowl. “God, my boss is going to kill me if I miss work at such short notice.”

“You have no choice, honey,” I said softly. “Go pack that bag.”

As she packed, I booked us into the Ritz-Carlton because I was damned if I was going to spend the night in a cheap motel. I’d have to sneak us in through the backdoor at the hotel because I didn’t want to take any chances with the paps that hovered outside the doors 24/7.

She came out of her bedroom with a rucksack on her back. She had changed into jeans and a black Rolling Stones t-shirt with a huge tongue right over her breasts. I shook the suggestive image out of my mind and focused on what was important.

“Do you need to pick up your daughter?”

Celine shook her head sadly.

“She will be safer with her father. He works for the DA’s office, so I don’t think Arjun will mess with him. I just hope he’s willing to keep her with him for the next few days.”

I frowned at her in confusion.

“Why wouldn’t he?”

Celine sighed as she threw on a pair of shoes.

“Brandon is not exactly father of the year. He had no contact with us until very recently, and this sudden need to get to know his daughter clearly stems from a wish to impress his new girlfriend who has kids. I don’t know how long it’s going to last.”

“Don’t you mind?” I asked, wondering how she could allow him anywhere near her baby. He didn’t deserve any fatherly rights.

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