Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 341(@200wpm)___ 273(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“What do you want?” Tyler asked.
Avery turned to her brother. “I have enough to deal with without you making things worse. If you can’t be civil to Grey, you can leave.”
Well, at least she wasn’t throwing him out yet. “I came as soon as I saw the article. I had no idea the paps had found you.”
“Well, now you know,” Tyler said. “And you showing up here is only going to make things worse. We’re going to have to put a security detail on you,” he said to Avery.
She shook her head. “No way. I can’t live like that.”
Grey remained silent as the siblings went at it. Until he knew where everyone’s head was, he wouldn’t step in.
“Well, can you live like this?” Tyler swept an arm toward the window. “Going through that crowd by yourself every time you want to come and go?”
“No, I don’t want that.” Avery clasped her hands around her forearms in a defensive gesture that gutted Grey.
He’d put her in this position. Somehow, he needed to get her out. Though he might agree with Tyler about security, her brother’s strong-arm tactics were only hurting her more, taking away the feelings of control she was holding onto.
Grey shot Tyler a warning look and moved in, leading her to the couch in her living room. He sat down beside her, keeping her close. “Listen, your brother’s right. We have to talk about security for you, but we can figure out something that will make you comfortable.”
“None of this would be necessary if you’d just disappear,” Tyler added. “She could stay with one of us for a little while, they’d forget all about her, and that would be that.”
Grey stiffened, bristling at her brother’s words, which had too much truth in them for his peace of mind.
“Tyler, go home, please? I’ll figure out what I want to do and let you know.”
His gaze softened as he looked at his sister. “I’m worried about you. Did you have a panic attack getting through those jackals?” he asked.
Grey narrowed his gaze. “Panic attack?”
Avery tensed. “I handled it.”
Tyler placed a hand on her shoulder. “I never said you didn’t. I just want to protect you from having to deal with it at all.”
“Well, you can’t protect me from everything.”
But Grey wanted to. He had the overwhelming need to pack her up and move her in with him, into his doorman building, where she’d be protected and safe.
“I’ll call the cops to clear them off of private property,” Tyler said.
Grey nodded. “That’ll be a start, but it won’t hold off the more determined ones. And it won’t keep them away from public areas where Avery goes.”
“Hello, can you stop speaking about me as if I’m not right here?”
Grey met her gaze. “Sorry, sugar.”
Tyler scowled at the endearment. “You need a bodyguard. Someone who can follow you at a distance but who will be there just in case you need him. I’m assuming Mr. Rock Star here has one.”
Grey stiffened but let the insulting tone slide. “When I know I’ll be in public, yes, I have security.”
“I want my guy on you when you’re together.”
“Fine,” Grey said, knowing better than to argue. He didn’t care who watched their backs as long as she was safe.
“Are we in agreement?” Tyler met his sister’s gaze.
Avery groaned. “Fine.”
Grey didn’t like what he had to do next, but he looked at Tyler. “Can I have a word with you?”
Avery’s gaze shot between them. “What? Why?”
“It’ll be fine.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
She stood, and he rose with her.
“I’ll go see if Ella’s okay.” She looked between them one more time. “And I expect an explanation later.”
Grey waited until she’d disappeared down the hall before turning to Tyler. “Look, you don’t have to like me, but can we agree we both have Avery’s best interests at heart?”
“That remains to be seen.”
Grey swallowed a curse. The man wasn’t going to make anything easy. “There’s another security issue you need to know about.”
“What’s going on?” Tyler asked.
“I got a piece of fan mail . . .” Grey went on to explain the connection between the e-mail he’d received from Emerald and Avery’s blog, and the woman’s implied threat to break them apart.
He wanted nothing more than to hide the information that would give Avery’s brothers even more reason to dislike him and want him away from their sister. But he wouldn’t put his self-interest above Avery’s safety, and he wasn’t foolish enough to think he could handle things on his own.
He rolled his shoulders, tension settling there like lead. “I don’t know what it means, but I don’t like what my gut’s telling me.”
“Fuck. And you can’t just walk away and leave my sister alone?” Tyler muttered.
Grey had had enough. He stepped into Tyler’s personal space. “Listen carefully. I may let you get away with the occasional insult because I know I brought this shit into her life.”