coma,” Halli says. “I’m not sure I can be your detail if I’ll be around this stuff all the time. I have no willpower.”
I jerk my head back and furrow my brows. What did she just say? “Detail? Like a guard? You’re only temporary, right?” The five agents stop mid-bite and stare at me.
“Aspen, why don’t we all go sit in the living room,” Ted says, placing his plate on the kitchen table. The seriousness in his voice concerns me. I agree and follow him, with the others behind us. I wait for someone to talk.
Halli clears her throat, putting her plate on her lap. “All Presidents have the option of continuing the use of Secret Service after their term. The same goes for their spouse and children under sixteen.”
“Well, I’m not sixteen,” I add quickly.
“Right. But this is an extenuating circumstance. It’s been strongly advised that you accept our services. Our country mourned you. When they find out you’re alive, it will be hard for you to go anywhere without getting bombarded. You’ll need help. At the least, in the beginning, until we make sure you aren’t in danger anymore.”
My baking high just crashed. I drop to the arm of the cushioned chair, my head into my hands. “I left one prison and now I’m in another.”
“Try not to think of it that way. You can do whatever you want, we just want you to be safe. And I was totally kidding, I would love to be your detail. I may just have to work out twice a day.”
I flash a smile at her, but I’m not happy. When I was with Ryker, the number of people who felt they had a right to take his picture and stop us while we were out was insane. I tried to not let it bother me because I was with him, but now it sounds like that will always happen to me.
“There are crazy people in this world,” Amy says. “Just ask Addison. None of us want to see you harmed. Especially after all you’ve been through.”
I nod. “I’m just going to go to my room. I need some time to think.”
“I’m here if you need to talk.” Amy stands and wraps her arms around me.
“Thank you,” I murmur and walk down the hallway to my room in silence.
The tears have dried, but the despair still lurks. Between feeling anxious and worried that my actual parents won’t like me and now finding out that my life will never be mine again, I’ve had to stop myself from trying to find my father to hide me again. I shake the ridiculous thought from my mind. That will never happen.
“Come in,” I say, at the soft knock at the door. The door opens and Halli walks in wearing bright turquoise silk pajamas. Her white-blond hair is loose, falling halfway down her back. She looks like a totally different person. Younger.
“Are you doing okay?” The bed dips where she sits.
“This is all so heavy and I feel alone,” I admit, rolling to my side to face her. “I’ve lost the man I called my father. I’ve lost the man I had major feelings for. And now there’s no one left.”
“If it helps, you have me.”
I sigh. “That’s another part of the problem.”
“I won’t take that personally.” She playfully huffs. “Things will slow down, Aspen. Just take it a day at a time. It’s all you can do.”
“Can you get me some rum?”
Tonight’s a good night to drown my sorrows.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Ryker
“C’mon brother, do me a solid.”
Aiden sits back in his seat and stares at me while taking a slow pull from his beer, enjoying the groveling I’m doing a little too much. He’s still pissed off about the CIA holding Addie.
“Jaxon?” I plea to one of my other best friends.
He holds his hands up in the air. “Don’t look at me, I don’t know where she’s at.”
I drop my head. There’s one man at the table that knows and he’s being an asshole right now.
“Maybe it’s better you don’t know,” Max chimes in. “She has a lot going on right now.” Figures, Max is the voice of reason.
My shoulders rise and fall. He’s probably right. But fuck what’s right at the moment, I need to see her so I can catch my breath. The pinch in my chest hasn’t subsided even after finding out she’s safe.
“She’s the one, huh?” Jaxon asks and I lift my gaze back up.
Shrugging, I answer, “She’s the only woman I