Page 61 of Ballrooms & Blackmail

Or I’m starting too, anyway.

And I’m going to continue doing it. Even if—I peek around the screen—see that Thorn has pulled out his phone and is surveying it as he grabs things from my shelves, almost like he made a list.

My heart pulses.

Not almost like he made a list. Thorn did make a list.

And he’s ticking the items off.

Items I mentioned in a rant. Items he took note of. Items he’s getting for me.

Yeah, so I’m not completely healed yet, so there are demons I need to deal with, so there are many more steps I need to take to settle fully back into my life.

But I’m not going to stop here.

And…I’m going to bring Thorn along with me.

Even if I have to do it, dragging him kicking and screaming.

Nineteen

Thorn

“River!” we hear as we walk down the flight of steps and head for the car.

She’s packed a large suitcase and I’m carrying several heavy bags full of kitchen stuff.

Kitchen stuff I’ll hopefully enjoy the spoils of soon.

So, I’m not in the mood for us to be stopped.

My stomach aside, there’s the small concern of the Lyons and us standing unprotected in the open, and now, the strange woman bustling up the sidewalk.

Maybe she doesn’t look like a threat, but I’ve seen the havoc Angela Rousseau has wrecked on so many lives.

Women can be dangerous too.

Especially women who are pushed to the edge.

I step in front of River, intercepting the woman as she gets close. “Can I help you?” I ask, flicking my eyes over her shoulder.

The driver of the black SUV nods at me.

Good. Pascal’s crew is watching.

“Uh, hi, Stephanie,” River says, gently brushing her fingers along the outside of my arm and stepping to my side. “How’s it going?”

The woman—Stephanie—glances at me then back at River. “Are you moving out?”

I don’t like how she asks that.

Too casually…but her eyes are shrewd. As though she’s intent on River’s answer.

I frown.

River answers before I can move her along. “No,” she says, “just going on a short vacation.”

“Short?” Stephanie asks, her tone disbelieving, her gaze tracing over the suitcase and bags.