“You’re right.”
Then, she settles her head against my chest, and I tighten my arms around her. This bastard better hope he never comes face to face with me.
An hour later, most of the cops are gone, but there is one sitting on the house. No random drive bys from now on. I’m on the phone with my sister and Grady discussing what needs to be done. Nancy wanted to wait until tomorrow, but I know that would piss off both Grady and Syd. I told her to take a shower and that I would take care of it. I know that part of the reason she doesn’t want talk to them is that it would make it real. It’s her way of avoiding the situation, and I don’t blame her. But that’s what I’m here for.
“I still think she should come here,” Syd grumbles.
Grady sighs. I’d feel sorry for him, but he’s a billionaire and he chose my sister to fall for, so he knew what he was getting into.
“We’ve been over this. Josh said it was better to stay there.”
Actually, Josh had a change of heart and said that going to San Antonio could be an option. Nancy didn’t like the idea of putting Syd in danger. I didn’t want to share Nancy, but I would have done it if she had wanted to go.
“I’m going to talk to the team I set up,” Grady says, and Syd switches her speaker phone off.
“So, how is she? I’m upset she didn’t call.”
I sigh and rub my temple. “She’s shaken, that’s for sure.”
“Want to tell me what else is going on?”
I can tell by the tone she’s heard about our involvement. We weren’t hiding it from her, but we wanted to wait. We didn’t really talk about it, but I think we both know how fragile this is. One mistake and we lose everything. I could care less about losing the show at this point. I don’t think I would be able to deal with losing Nancy. Not now.
“Who called you?”
“No one. There’s pics all over the Express from the birthday party tonight.”
“I figured it would come out.”
“I don’t know why you hid it from me. Or why Nancy did.”
“Syd, can we deal with your bitching some other time?”
Normally she would yell at me. If she were here, I would probably get the pen treatment she used to give Grady. She probably still throws them at him when he irritates her. Their relationship is weird.
“Okay, sorry.”
I blink, hold the phone out, looking at it. Then bring it back to my ear.
“Who is this?”
“Shut up. I’m worried about both of you, and I want you here by me. Safe. Sure, you might have to spend the rest of your life in Grady’s house, but that’s the price you have to pay to make me feel better.”
I snort. I know she’s trying to lighten the mood, but I don’t miss the thread of fear beneath the joke. I know that if the situation was reversed, I would react the same way. Actually, I might even be worse. I was the guy who put a tracking app on her phone without telling her. Not to spy on her, but just in case of emergencies.
“It’s all gonna be okay. With the security team and Jon looking over security arrangements, it should make everything okay.”
“I need to talk to Travis,” I hear Grady say in the background.
“You can just ask me to put on speaker phone, you know,” Syd grumbles. Those two use fights as some kind of foreplay. And yes, it grosses me out to even think about, but this is life with Syd.
She clicks on speaker phone.
“Travis, I have the team set up, and they’re going to be there by tomorrow morning. I talked with Josh already, and he assured me that the car on the house would stay there. Not just patrolling.”
It was actually Josh who was now refusing to leave until we had a security detail.
“Sounds good. Jon wants to look at the security.”
“Jon?”
“Nancy’s cousin.”
“Wait, Jon Howard is related to Nancy? The genius behind the Diamond Security app? Why didn’t you tell me?”
I open my mouth, but Syd responds.
“I did. I said that he did the Juniper Springs Express.”
“You just said Jon.”
“I assumed you would know that his last name was Howard when I said he was Nancy’s cousin.”
“Put that pen down. I will make you regret throwing it at me.”
God, these two. Seriously. Syd was known for throwing them at Grady when he irritated her. None of them hit him, but it was one way she showed her displeasure when she was working for him.
“Hey, can we get this over with? I’m exhausted and I want to check on Nancy.”
“Sorry,” Grady said. “I’ll send you all the information about the detail. I picked them out myself. Carter had to use them when he had that issue a couple of years ago.”
I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I’m not asking. If I do, I’ll never get off the phone with them.
“Sounds good. Anything else?”
“No. Make sure you keep Nancy safe.”
“I will.”
We disconnect. For a long moment, I don’t do anything but enjoy the blessed silence. I love my sister, but she’s a lot of work. I’m thankful Grady has the job of dealing with her now. I glance at the closed bathroom door and realize the water is still running.
I set my phone down on the side table, then knock on the dor.
“Nancy?”
She says nothing, so I turn the handle, thankful to find it unlocked. I peek in. The room is filled with steam, the seamless shower fogged up, but I can see her. She’s sitting on the floor of the shower, looking so sad…so alone. Her arms are wrapped around her legs and she has her head resting on knees. She’s staring off in the distance, not focusing on anything in particular. It hurts my heart seeing her like this. Does she even know how to depend on someone other than my sister? It’s like she’s afraid to ask for help at times, afraid that it will backfire in some way.
I strip down to my boxer briefs and grab a towel. After I open the door, I turn off the water, then wrap the towel around her. I lift her off the floor, then walk her out of the shower, settling her on the counter. She’s clinging to me, even if she hasn’t said a word.
I take my time drying her off, taking care not to rush anything. She might just be freaked out, but I’m a little afraid that she may be sliding into shock. Once I have her body dried off, I lay it across her shoulders and grab another towel to dry her hair. Again, with gentle movements, I try my best not to push her too hard.
“Why would someone want to hurt me?”
The small voice is barely above a whisper, and so unlike the Nancy I know and love. She’s loud and fun, and always has a laugh even at her own expense.
“Some people are assholes.”
She looks up at me, her eyes filled with tears. The sight is a dagger to my heart. If I ever doubted my feelings for this woman, that one reaction tells me everything I need to know. I would slay fucking dragons for this woman. No one has a right to hurt her like this. I cup her face and brush away the tears as they roll down her cheeks.
“You did nothing. Don’t ever think that any of this is your fault.”
“Someone hates me, Travis.” The pain that vibrates through that statement adds a twist to the dagger in my heart.