I left Claire with Nico, offering her some half-baked excuse about why she’d be returning to the hotel alone. She looked reluctant, ever-curious, but didn’t try to stop me from walking away.
I’m soft on her. Softer than I should be. Softer than I planned to be.
What is it about her that makes me pull back the punches, loosen the grip?
That can’t be good. No, that’s skirting sloppy. And I don’t do sloppy. I’ll tighten the reins later. Make her realize she can’t always get her way and expect things from me.
The top button of my shirt is still undone. I check my cuffs, straighten the fabric across my chest, then push open the door to one of the guest rooms.
The first thing I see is one of my father’s goons. Big, bald, wearing dark shades indoors like he thinks it makes him invisible. He
