Page 25 of Enchant Me

Her smile lit her face. “Anne and Lara and Bradley mean the world to me, and so do you and Nikki. You’re role models, you know? And what makes you good ones is that you’re human.” She cocked her head toward the stairs. “I’ll text you that stuff tonight before I crash. Let me know if you learn anything about that horrible thing,” she added, pointing toward the note.

“You’ll know when we do.”

He watched her go, then turned to find Nikki coming toward him with a glass of bourbon. “You look like you could use it.”

“She wants me to investigate her boyfriend. She shouldn’t have to worry about running background checks on the guy she’s dating.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” The words snapped out of him, pushed by fury, not reason. “Someone was in this house, uninvited, fucking with our personal space.”

“I get that you’re mad.”

“Do you?”

“You think I don’t?” She stepped closer, her back straight, her expression fierce. “You’re more angry at yourself than at him. Because you didn’t anticipate it.”

“Damn right, I am.”

She grinned at him. “I told you I understood.”

The fury that had been building in him backed down, and he drew in a breath, ratcheting back the desire to punch something. “Come on. We need to fill the others in before Ryan gets back with Alaine. I’m not telling Alaine about the video, but Jackson and Sylvia should know.”

“I’m sorry. You don’t have to tell them, you know. Or at least not tonight.”

He considered it. God knew he didn’t want to talk about the damn video again. And he sure as hell didn’t want to talk about what happened back when he and Sofia were both children and victims.

But all he said was, “Yes, I do. They’re family, aren’t they? And after what you and I both suffered through, the most important thing in my life next to you and the girls is doing family right.”

“I love you, Mr. Stark.”

“I know,” he said. “Where do you think I get the strength to do this?”

8

“So what’s this about?” Alaine asked as he stepped off the elevator that opened into the third floor kitchen. He was alone, Ryan having stayed behind to speak with the staff. And since Nikki and the others were in the living area, it was only Damien and Alaine.

“Hopefully nothing,” Damien said. “But we’ve had a bit of vandalism in the house, and I’m trying to nail down the source.”

“Vandalism? You think someone on my staff—?”

“We don’t know. That’s why we’re having this conversation. Alaine,” he added, stressing his friend’s name, “you know I trust you, but how well do you know your staff?”

Alaine’s brow furrowed, and Damien knew the answer. Some probably worked at Alaine’s various restaurants, but others were undoubtedly temp workers.

“Tell me what happened,” Alaine insisted.

“Nikki saw someone dressed in a server’s uniform sitting in the last row right before the ceremony. Afterwards, we came upstairs and found this.” He held out his phone, showing Alaine the picture of the note that he’d taken earlier.

“Good God.” Alaine sucked in a breath, then shook his head slowly. “If someone on the staff was sitting in the guest area, they were violating my policy. But surely they were only adjusting a shoe, taking a stone out, something like that. I can’t imagine anyone on my team would do such a thing.” He crossed his arms, his eyes meeting Damien’s. “I trust my staff. And I hope you trust me.”

“I do, but I need to be sure. You can understand that.”

“Of course. Of course, I do.” He reached up to rub his temples. “I’ve know most of my team for years. But we do have a few who have worked only one or two events. People I’m auditioning for when I formally launch the catering arm.” He shook his head, looking disturbed and furious. “If this was one of my people, I swear I’ll—”

“Let’s find out. Your entire team is still here, right? No one’s left early?” That’s what Ryan had texted Damien, and he hoped it was the truth.

“That’s right. Everyone’s still here. We’re packing up, that’s part of their job.”