Hunter just snorts, shaking his head. “I thought you’d appreciate the warning. I’ve heard rumors about the Prince’s half-brother.”
“What have you heard?” My voice is strangled, and I gulp past a lump in my throat.
“Nothing concrete.”
“Stay away from them.” I suck in a labored breath. “And from me. You’re not welcome here, Hunter.”
My old agent’s eyes darken. His mouth twists downward, and a shadow passes over his face. “I came here because I still care about you, Margot. I wanted to warn you so you wouldn’t get caught up in anything. But if you do, it’s your own fault. I can see that you don’t want my help, even after everything I’ve done for you.”
Words stick to my throat as I watch him turn back to the door and step out of the room. I rush to lock it, leaning against the door as I exhale. Dropping my head in my hands, I let out a groan.
It was too much to hope for that Hunter would be out of my life for good. When I found out about his involvement in the bakery contamination, I fired him on the spot. I hoped that would be the end of it.
Sounds like I was wrong.
With trembling hands, I put my clothing back on and exit the massage room. I pay quickly, glancing over my shoulder the whole time. It feels like someone is watching me. The persistent dread in my gut gets stronger, and I hurry to my car.
It’s not until I’m back home with the door locked that I finally take a full breath.
8
Dante
I hear the door slam and my ears perk up. I’ve spent the day mapping out all the security risks that might exist here and talking to Theo on the phone about the progress of the search for Beckett.
Okay—maybe I’ve done a little bit of thinking about Margot, too. I might have Googled her name once or twice. Sue me.
My mind keeps drifting back to her. To the way she looked at that interview. Beautiful, vulnerable, and brave. She’s living her life in a way that I have always been too afraid to do. She suffers from the same anxieties as I do, but she faces them head-on.
There’s so much more to her than just the long-haired blonde beauty that’s portrayed in the media.
I stand up, closing my laptop and locking it in my briefcase before heading downstairs. Margot is leaning against the door, taking deep breaths.
“Everything okay?”
Margot jumps, glancing up at me. Her face relaxes when she recognizes me, and she finally nods. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“Did something happen?”
Margot licks her lips, and my eyes follow the movement. Even when she looks worried, I can’t ignore the effect that she has on my body. Whenever she’s near, the room heats up a few degrees.
The actress runs her fingers through her hair, letting out a deep breath and finally forcing a smile onto her lips.
“It’s fine. I just ran into my old agent.”
“The one who tried to hurt your sister?”
She nods. “Yeah. That one. He told me to stay away from her and Luca. Sounded all evil and ominous.” She laughs nervously, but I can sense the tension coming off her in waves.
I close the distance between us, sliding my hands over her hips. Margot’s eyes lift up to mine, and her chest caves in as she shakes her head.
“It’s been a tough day,” she finally says.
I run my fingers over her jaw, feeling the electric heat that flows down my arm as I touch her. Being this close to her makes my head spin. When she slides her tongue out to lick her lips again, all my blood rushes between my legs. I should be worried about the security risk, but with Margot in my arms, all I can think of is her. Margot melts into me, wrapping her arms around my waist. My fingers tangle into her hair, and I rest my face next to hers.
“You okay?” I whisper.
This isn’t what I expected. I thought I’d come here and take Luca home. At worst, I’d stay here and stick by his side.
In the past two days, though, I haven’t felt the need to see Luca at all. He’s a grown man—he can take care of himself.
It’s Margot I feel drawn to. She’s fragile and vulnerable, and she’s facing everything I’ve hidden away from.