Page 18 of The Scarab's Game

Jenn’s lips thinned. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good,” I said. “And you’re staying here.”

“That’s what I said.” Confidence—whether true or manufactured—radiated from her. If nothing else, her stubbornness was winning over her nerves.

“I mean here. In this room.” I scratched my short beard. This was my stupidest idea, but it would keep her safe and keep me up-to-date on everything. “With me.”

Everyone’s confused stares turned to me.

“I don’t want you staying by yourself, in case whoever it was comes back.”

She spluttered. “If I need to stay with someone, I can stay with Jayce.”

Jayce snorted a laugh. “Drew and I have a one-bedroom suite, and we’re not sharing.”

“But I could—” A ring came from the sitting room, and Jenn took off, calling over her shoulder as she ran. “That’s my phone. Dr. Ferraro’s calling back with more details.”

Rav must have silently ordered Jayce and Drew to go with her because they followed in sync. I started after them but collided with Rav’s outstretched hand. “Scarlett will kill you.”

“Why?” I looked up at him, the few inches he was taller than me.

He raised his eyebrows, and I finally caught what everyone else had been eyeing me about.

“Oh shit, Rav!” I swatted his hand away. “I didn’t mean in my bed. I meant we shuffle you into another room, and she takes yours. My room’s closer to the entrance, so I can ensure she stays safe.”

“You’re still having nightmares.”

How did he know? I hadn’t told him about the nightmares since the one time I went to see his shrink.

“I heard you last night.”

Fuck. “I have sleeping pills?—”

“Which you can’t take. If you do, you’ll be useless should anyone come for her.” Rav was always so fucking reasonable. “Why don’t we shuffleyouto another room so she can stay with me?”

“No.” Why did that word come out of my mouth so fast?

“No?” He raised his eyebrows again, suspicion dripping from his single word.

It made more sense for Rav to protect her. Security was his job. I had so much else I was supposed to do in Monte Carlo—figure out where the scarab was, determine if Massimo would sell it, and prove I was over my kidnapping in April.

Shacking up with a woman might have been a fun distraction after we had the scarab, but this was Jenn. And it was during our op.

Rav was right. Scarlettwouldkill me if she thought anything was going on.

I’d kissed Jenn once, when we were teens. She’d been my first crush, the first girl I’d told was pretty.

One stolen, secret kiss. A clumsy thing, but one of the best I’d ever had. Because it was her. Her cheeks had flushed, but she’d smiled at me like nothing else in the world mattered.

‘Who do you think you are, putting your hands on my daughter?’

It was the only kiss we ever shared. I avoided her for months afterward, and Scarlett didn’t hide how I’d hurt Jenn. Maybe I should have told the truth about what happened with Jenn’s father. Scarlett might have forgiven me. More likely, she—or worse yet, Mum—would have unleashed herself on Mr. Thatcher, and none of us would have seen Jenn again.

One kiss. She got over it.

She wouldn’t have gotten over losing her best friend, too.

Just like Scarlett wouldn’t get over losing Jenn in Monte Carlo, so I was not about to trust her safety to anyone else.