Damn it. "We've always been the ones protecting them," I explained, frustration evident in my voice. "We even used to confiscate their phones and block numbers of porn producers who called us, just so they wouldn't be able to reach them."
Lennox closed the binder in front of me. "Look at me," he said firmly.
Reluctantly, I turned my gaze towards him, my shoulders tense. I wanted to reopen the damn binder and read through everything again.
"Ashton," he began, his voice calm and understanding, "I understand why you're irritated. I'd feel the same way if my younger cousins decided to repay a debt I didn't want to exist. But this is happening, and you have to deal
ASHTONThe conversation abruptly halted as the door creaked open. Willow and Lincoln entered, carrying trays of coffee for everyone. Willow handed me a mug of hot tea, and we all dispersed around the study.Lennox and I were the only ones still standing. While he leaned against a bookshelf, absentmindedly playing with a handheld wooden puzzle he had already solved twice, I held my mug of tea and listened to the conversation drift towards FanCon-related matters and logistics.Kaleb motioned towards Willow, who sat on a rocking chair, and Lincoln, who settled on the couch beside Perry. He said, "If you have any acquaintances or friends or..." Kaleb paused to find the right word."NSA," Davin clarified.
LENNOXThe weather reports warned of a white-out blizzard at 0900 hours, and Kaleb's voice echoed through the communication devices. Exhausted from a never-ending Omega meeting, I climbed the wooden stairs to the second floor, removing my earpiece. I had hoped to escape Kaleb's presence, but his voice still reached my ears, even with the volume high. "Be alert if you're driving to the lake house," he cautioned.Turning the knob on my radio, I silenced his voice. Security had agreed to stay at the main house instead of the cabin a mile away. There were plenty of empty rooms, but I decided to share one with Ashton.Quietly, I entered the bedroom, expecting to find him fast asleep. To my surprise, he was sitting up, leaning against the log headboard, typing furiously on
LENNOXThe weather reports warned of a white-out blizzard at 0900 hours, and Kaleb's voice echoed through the communication devices. Exhausted from a never-ending Omega meeting, I climbed the wooden stairs to the second floor, removing my earpiece. I had hoped to escape Kaleb's presence, but his voice still reached my ears, even with the volume high. "Be alert if you're driving to the lake house," he cautioned.Turning the knob on my radio, I silenced his voice. Security had agreed to stay at the main house instead of the cabin a mile away. There were plenty of empty rooms, but I decided to share one with Ashton.Quietly, I entered the bedroom, expecting to find him fast asleep. To my surprise, he
ASHTONNo matter what I had planned to say or how I thought I would feel, it all vanishes when I see my dad. He paces anxiously between the living room fireplace and the window, his hand clenched into a fist. His gaze drifts towards the kitchen, a longing in his eyes.It's a familiar craving, one that screams for just one drink. Throughout my entire life, he has never given in to that urge, never taken a sip of alcohol, never broken his sobriety. But now he's looking again.I stand on the balcony of the second floor, overlooking the living room with its high ceilings and tall windows. Sunlight streams in, illuminating the leather furniture and wooden floors. Outside, snow falls heavily on this cold morning.
ASHTON"Your mom, your aunts and uncles, and I—we wouldn't typically trust the media over your word in almost any circumstance. But the security's information about your non-disclosure agreements and the mention of a 'mystery girl' that we wouldn't approve of—it aligned with what the media was saying. Something wasn't adding up. We thought it could be anything, not just a rumor. You could have been drinking or..." He takes a deep breath.I lied about Lennox.I take responsibility for that."Questioning each other," he explains, "is how we deal with lies. Your aunts and uncles have done it to me, and I've done it to them." He pauses. "We were all worried that you and Willow were in trouble.
LENNOX"Uriah to the security team, everyone stay out of the study," the Alpha lead commanded through the communication devices. The atmosphere in the lake house abruptly shifted as all three famous families gathered. While Ashton joined his parents and uncles outside, I decided to retreat to the basement gym.Inside the gym, four bodyguards from Security Force Alpha were working out, but I paid them no attention. I despised being scrutinized and hated being part of cliques just as much. Their disapproving glances were directed at me because I had broken their golden rule of getting involved with a client romantically.Perth, the lone representative from Omega, was present. As I completed my twentieth pull-up, sweat clinging to my black shirt, he delivered quick kicks
LENNOX"You missed your period?" Ashton asked sternly. He effortlessly switched into big brother mode, his body tensing, and he shot me a glare, as if I hadn't informed him about the possibility of his eighteen-year-old sister being pregnant."I didn't know," I quickly replied, then turned to Blanca. "You can't make your period appear by dancing, but nice try."Primrose scoffed. "You're a guy. You know nothing about periods or the female anatomy. You haven't even touched a vagina.""Primrose," Ashton growled.I couldn't help but smile. It was endearing to see him defend me, but I could handle this situation. "I graduated from medical
ASHTON"We're leaving," I declared, my voice filled with a mix of excitement and disbelief. It was finally happening, not some distant fantasy but a real-life event. The surroundings painted a picturesque scene as six inches of snow covered the empty parking lot outside the Food Lion. In the storage bays of our parked tour bus, I struggled to fit in the tenth suitcase.Around me, Security Force Omega buzzed with energy, communicating through their microphones and transporting cases of water, beer, soda, and other supplies. My four cousins scurried on and off the sleek black sleeper bus, carrying snacks and pillows.The paparazzi, who had relentlessly followed our families to Philadelphia, were nowhere to be seen. They likely assumed we were with our relatives, unaware