Wilson arrives with Fitzroy and Jones about an hour later followed by Sam Jennings a few minutes after that. The two Home Office agents cuff the suspects and leave with them in tow, telling us they’ll be in touch for our statements. Wilson packs up his gear and shakes hands with all of us. Drew is especially grateful, smiling and patting him on the shoulder.
Sal, Evan, and Steve leave to go back to their rooms to catch up on sleep after Wilson takes off, and Drew continues speaking to Sam in the far corner of the room where we can’t hear them. After they’re done, Sam says good-bye and heads out for the airport to fly back to New York, eager to get back home.
“Oh my God Syd,” Leah exclaims once everyone is gone.
“I know, it’s crazy, right?”
“Completely and totally nuts,” says Allie. Then she turns to me and her eyes get all big and sad, “Sydney, are you coming to the charity ball I asked you about?”
Holy crap! She’s giving me a guilt trip now?
I look at Drew for help. “Hey, I told her I’d only go if you went.”
Traitor! “It’s your charity Drew, you have to go!”
He just shrugs. “I don’t want to be there without you,” he tells me with his honest look. Damn. Just damn.
“When is it?” I ask Allie, defeated.
“The Fourth of July. We always hold the dinner at The Basin on the river so the guests can watch the fireworks afterwards.”
“Well, I’ll definitely be done here,” I respond cautiously. “And it would be nice to visit Boston with you,” I say to Drew.
Allie starts bouncing on the couch and clapping her hands. “So …” she squeals eagerly.
“So, fine. I’ll go.”
“We’ll go,” Drew corrects me, taking my hand.
“Yay!” Allie screams, hugging me tightly.
“Holy cow, you’re squeezing the life out of me.” I gasp under her iron grip.
“I’m so happy,” she says, her eyes teary. She glances at Drew and they share some kind of moment, but by the time I turn to look at him it’s passed.
Drew pulls me in close and tucks me under his arm. “I’m so happy too,” he whispers in my ear.
With all this crazy shit behind us, so am I.
Chapter 26
The next two weeks are relatively easy, comparatively speaking. As long as I keep Drew and Oliver separate, I don’t really need to worry about anything. Drew has been using an office nearby to work on his part of the post-production for Downtrodden Masses. The studio evidently owns a building right here in London with equipment and computers and everything Drew needs.
I give up the fight and accept that one of the SEALS will go with me everywhere. It makes my life much easier to just go with Drew’s plans. He finally got me to admit that some protection isn’t such a bad thing. I remember the argument we had before I had relented and allowed the bodyguard.
“Why can’t you just let Evan go with you when you run, Sydney?” Drew asks as I get my running shoes on.
Always the protector.
“I’ve been running alone for weeks before you got here Drew and I’ve been fine. I don’t need a babysitter to exercise!” I finish tying my shoes and stand up to face him.
Drew’s face looks very guilty all of a sudden. His gaze drops and his eyes look everywhere but at me. I notice his fingers clenching and unclenching nervously. “Drew? What’s going on?” I feel a sick rolling in my stomach, knowing that I’m not going to like what he tells me.
He runs a hand through his thick hair, a lock falling over his forehead carelessly. “Don’t be mad, Syd.” He holds his hands up to keep me calm.
“What did you do?”
“You know I couldn’t let you come here by yourself. Not after what happened in L.A. I love you too much to allow someone to hurt you again,” he explains cautiously.
“Say it Drew.” Yep, he did it. I already know what he’s going to say.
“So I had Sal and Evan come to London and,” he swallows and looks up at me, wincing when he sees how pissed I am. “And one of them was watching out for you at all times.”
That’s why I always felt like someone was watching me. Because someone was watching me. Fuck!
I feel the red hot anger boiling up in my gut, urging me to yell and scream and beat my fists against his chest. Then I look at him, this huge, strong alpha male standing here, nervous as all fuck that I’m going to do exactly that. And why? Because even though I left him in Vancouver without a good-bye, without an explanation, he cared enough to make sure I was safe?
“It’s fine,” I say, swiping my hair back out of my face and into a ponytail.