“Scout?!” Olive whispers excitedly, and I’m relieved to see her here for some reason. But even more thankful that it seems she doesn’t know a thing about what I’ve done.
“Hi,” I whisper back because I’m not certain why she’s being so quiet. Before she can say anything else, a few security guards come through and push her out of the way.
“Leave.” One of them, who looks like Dwayne the Rock Johnson, crosses his arms over his massive chest. I feel my jaw drop at the sight of them both, clearly sent with Tito and Olive because of their ability to be actual fortresses for both of them if necessary.
“I’m only here because I have a message for Tito.”
“We can relay it.”
“I really would rather—”
“Let her in.” Olive calls from behind them.
“Miss, we are under strict orders not to let anyone in, especially not Scout Summers.”
“I don’t really care what you’ve been told. Do you not work for my family?”
“We do.” They say in unison.
“Then listen to me. I want her here. Now move aside.” Her hand sticks out from between them, and they part for her.
“Vince won’t be happy with this.”
“Well, what he doesn’t know, won’t hurt him.” She grabs my arm and pulls me inside, linking hers with mine.
“Tito isn’t awake yet, but I think I heard him after you knocked. You might be able to catch him before he gets into the shower.” She leads me to his door, and I feel every nerve in my body reignited at the mere proximity to him. I’m beginning to shake again, knowing what seeing him will do to me inside, but absolutely certain that warning him about what’s going to happen will be horribly difficult to convince him.
“Thank you,” I whisper, and she notices the bruises already forming on my wrist from Cleo’s death grip. I don’t say anything as I turn my head to the door and knock.
“Come in.” He calls, and my whole body vibrates at the sound of his voice. I step inside and close the door behind me, watching him for a moment because I’m in shock that I’m here, that we’re here. This is the worst and best feeling I’ve ever known, but I know it’s going to crush me the moment he turns his eyes to me.
“Hi.” Weakly offer, and he whips around instantly, eyes wide with shock and pain and everything I never wanted to see on his face because of me.
“What the hell are you doing here?” His grimace is so intense that I almost decide to turn around and leave, but I have no option. He will die if I don’t do something.
“I have to talk to you.”
“I don’t want to talk, Scout.” He turns away from me, about to close the bathroom door, but I reach out to him.
“Tito, please,” I beg, and he freezes.
“Scout, I don’t have time for this. I have to leave soon.”
“I know. That’s why I’m here.”
“What?”
“I’m here because you can’t leave this room if you value your life.” His face softens for a moment, then hardens all over again, and I feel it like an arrow through my already bleeding heart.
“You have ten seconds to explain what the hell you’re going on about before I have my men escort you out.”
“Okay, it’s hard to condense, but the long and the short of it is… uhm, well, the Russians, who are also working with the FBI—”
“I know.”
“Oh.” I blink, and he rubs his forehead, distressed. “Well, they’ve come here. They brought me here, and now they want me to help them kill you and the elders. They’re going to follow you to the meeting and bomb it.” My words sound frantic and jumbled. Even coming out of my mouth, I know how wild they actually are, but he doesn’t have much of a reaction. If someone told me that my life was going to end, I would be a little more concerned. The only explanation is that he doesn’t believe me.
“Is that it?”