"Jesus, D. I don't think I want to know what happened between you two. You're all hot and bothered just thinking about it." She waves me up and down.
"I'm not hot and—" Sweat breaks out on my forehead.
"You look like you're about to have an orgasm," she cackles.
It's my turn to cover my face. "Can we not talk about it?" Pulling my hands away, I fan myself dramatically, and we both burst out laughing. At this moment, we are two twentysomething girls gossiping about our love life. How did the tension shift to a lighthearted conversation about a boy? Man! Marcus is anything but a boy.
I shake my head. "Okay, back to the original topic." I pathetically attempt to redirect our conversation, but Lilly indulges me.
"Here is what I can tell you." She draws in a breath and holds it before expelling the air with a whoosh. "Ethan had a pretty rough childhood. He lost his parents when he was little and ended up in foster care. He got placed with a wealthy family when he was four or five. I forget the exact age. But, as it turned out, the head of the family took in orphans to train them."
"Train?" My mouth runs dry.
"Marshall Davis has a successfulbusiness model. You want something done without anyone asking questions or finding out? Marshall is the person you contact. His services range from forgery to making someone disappear."
"How do you know all that?" I'm stunned.
"About ten years ago, Ethan wanted out. He doesn't talk about the reason. In that sense, he's like Marcus. They refuse to burden anyone with their past. They'd rather suffer in solitude."
An ache forms in my throat, and I press my lips together, listening.
"George recruited him from Marshall. I don't know the details. Neither G nor Ethan would ever divulge how this arrangement came to be. Ethan cut all ties with his old life, with his brothers. The only person he occasionally speaks to is Jennifer. She's a little older than us, and the two have met up over the years. G has assured me that none of the Davis kids or Marshall are a threat to my family. It's sort of a live-and-let-live agreement."
"But you know what they're doing?" I ask incredulously. "How can you—?"
"I have no knowledge about any specific business deals. This is…a gray area, D. I have my own skeletons. Altman is not just a posh hotel chain. We provide privacy and security. While Rhys and I set rules around it, not all our guests have reputable careers." She pauses for a second. "I faced my demons. I'm not willing to bring a new monster into my family's life."
Her tone has gone cold, businesslike, and I realize there are things I've missed while being across the country. "I understand." We sit quietly until there is another knock on the door.
"Come in," we both answer simultaneously, and Lilly laughs. "I'm sorry, babe. Force of habit."
I wave her off. "It's your house."
Lilly purses her lips disapprovingly but then shifts her gaze to the door. "Hey." Her face lights up as Rhys carries Audrey into the room.
"We just wanted to say good night." He struggles to hold on to his daughter as she wiggles for her mom.
"Go put your baby to bed," I nudge her, and Lilly reaches for Audrey.
She turns back to me. "You sure?"
"Of course." This time, I don't have to force a false smile on my face. Seeing my best friend with her family makes me genuinely happy. If someone deserves happiness, it's her and Rhys.
The three disappear, and I slowly walk over to where I dropped my phone on the comforter earlier. Tapping the screen, Marcus's name appears. My heart leaps in my chest, and a flutter spreads through my body.
I open the text and scan his words.
Marcus: I'm heading with Ethan to the garage. J and Mark are in the house. Do not leave the premises.
Marcus: Please.
A laugh bubbles up. Adding "please" must've been excruciating for him. Marcus Baxter is not used to being disobeyed. A challenge I've begun to crave—not counting the times when Idid obeyhim. Heat flushes to my core, recalling those moments, and I bite my lip. This day has been a nightmare, yet my mind goes back to the few stolen moments with him. His presence overshadows the darkness even when he's absent.
Hovering with my thumbs over the keyboard, I debate how to respond.
I was pissed earlier. Assigning me a babysitter (not considering who this babysitter was) felt too much like what my father did to me all my life—taking away my choice of how to handle a situation. My father had me watched, and now Marcus will have this Jenn person follow me.
She is here to protect you, not to spy on you.