“We will do our best to push the attention of the media elsewhere,” India offered, having been silent but causing all of the men with her to look at her. “Maybe we will do something in town to draw attention away from you guys leaving.”
Lawson chuckled. “Or you will turn this town into a frenzy.”
“Fair,” Bishop muttered.
“The police are out front,” Eugene commented, looking towards the office door.
“For show,” I pointed out. “Just so the town doesn’t look bad. They will probably stay there for an hour or two.”
“I’ll show you all out if we’re done here.” Yates stood from where he had been sitting on an armchair.
I offered a small wave goodbye as Dahlia gave India another hug, their interaction far warmer than any other in the room. I watched curiously as they walked out the door, leaving the five of us looking at Dahlia, who stood looking out the window with curiosity until they exited the house and neared their car. She turned back to King and pinned him with a look.
“We are leaving the country?”
King nodded, looking suddenly cautious. “My father and yours suggested it may be a good idea. We would go to the compound in Ardara.”
“Oh!” Her eyes went wide as she smiled, looking excited. It was clear she wouldn’t take a lot of convincing, and I’m positive that as long as we were back for her classes next week, she wouldn’t mind missing the Labor Day Weekend parade. Dahlia loved traveling, so this was right up her alley.
Probably because she didn’t fully realize what the Ross Compound was like. Don’t get me wrong, it was beautiful, but it was also exactly what it was… a compound that was owned by the largest crime syndicate in the United Kingdom.
Then her smile faltered as she offered a cautious look to all of us. “You talked to my dad? He didn’t say anything about everything going on?”
“He had a lot to say.” Stratton smirked, looking amused at what Dahlia was trying to get at.
“But about the…” She waved her hands. “The pictures.”
“The bullying?” Lincoln played along.
“The social media account ones? He’s fucking furious,” I agreed.
“No, I meant the pictures with all of us,” she finally blurted out.
Dermot laughed as she scowled, her cheeks turning pink again. King sighed. “We haven’t talked about it directly, but he will probably kill us when we do.”
“He would never!” She offered us a small eye roll as the office door opened back up, Yates standing in the kitchen with the news turned up again. As she walked out there, I offered King a look as he ran a hand over his face.
Mr. Aldridge was definitely going to kill us.
* * *
Dahlia Aldridge
My fingers intertwined with one another nervously as I sat on the bathroom counter following dinner. I could hear the boys downstairs, their voices drifting up the large, echoing staircase. It should have been a peaceful, almost serene moment, but instead I was left with a sense of panic and anxiety. Maybe it was because I was finally alone… or more likely it was because I was facing a choice.
I ran my fingers over my throat as I tried to talk myself out of being in here in the first place. I had told the boys I was coming in here to shower and get ready for bed, and they were giving me some space to do so. The problem? Following a dinner that I picked at but did eat, I felt trapped now in the bathroom, staring at the scale and wondering if now was the time I should weigh myself.
Despite knowing it would be off because of dinner.
Despite knowing that it was a bad idea.
I just wanted to check.
That was the mantra in my head, and I gripped the marble counter, knowing that eventually someone would come up here to check on me. Already I’d had to ignore the way Yates had been watching me at dinner as we sat around the office making travel plans. It had been a nice reprieve.
No. I needed to just take a shower and get out of here. Or maybe I wouldn’t even take a shower—it wasn’t really needed after my one this morning and then my second with King.
I inhaled, trying to remind myself of the good moments today had brought. I tried to remind myself that I’d not only learned so much about my boys but I’d had a moment with King that would absolutely always be special between us.