Silver(24)

Kelsey found that confusing. “Why?”

“He’s… sort of my fiancé,” Robbie said.

Kelsey sat up with a start. “Are you serious?”

Robbie shrugged, sitting in a chair next to her with a sigh. “Yeah.”

“Um, I’m going to need more info,” Kelsey said.

“About having a fiancé or about the fact that if they saw me, they’d try to take me back by force?”

“Both,” Kelsey said, a lump forming in her throat. Robbie was so positive and friendly and take-charge, but she was hiding something so dark and not telling anyone about it. Even the guys, who presumably would protect her. “Why would they do that? I don’t get it. That isn’t allowed in this day and age, right?”

“It’s complicated,” Robbie said. “It was sort of an arranged marriage. I guess you could say it has to do with… my heritage.” She got a distant look in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself and looked out at the mall and the people walking back and forth.

“I think you should tell the guys, given that you’ve seen him in the area,” Kelsey said. “What if he knows you’re here?”

“I doubt it,” Robbie said. “And they… they were probably just here shopping like anyone else.”

“But is this close to your hometown?”

“About an hour away,” she said. “But I don’t know. We didn’t have any shopping areas like this. It’s just… I haven’t run into them before.”

“But…” Kelsey had a bad feeling about the whole situation, but Robbie was a strong, independent woman. If she wanted to take care of it herself, Kelsey supposed she had the right to do so.

“It’ll be fine,” Robbie said. “They’re gone now, and with luck, I won’t run into them again.”

Kelsey knew it was pointless to ask about it any further, so she just finished up with Glory and then walked back out into the mall with Robbie, holding her bags with a warm feeling of contentment.

They were walking to the elevator to take it down to the parking garage when she heard Robbie let out a gasp and stop abruptly. Her gaze was pinned over Kelsey’s head, and she looked in that direction to see the guys from before.

But this time, they were facing toward Robbie, and by the intense, angry expression on the leader’s face, they’d seen her.

“Run,” Robbie said, grabbing Kelsey’s arm and jerking her down the hallway in a full run.

Kelsey struggled to keep up, having much shorter legs than Robbie, but luckily, there was a single bathroom just to the left of them, and together they darted inside, shutting the door behind them and shoving the lock into place.

“Phew,” Robbie said. “Safe for now.”

Kelsey’s heart was pounding. She had no idea what had happened. This morning, she’d been looking forward to a simple shopping trip. Now they were somehow in danger.

She eyed Robbie, who was pacing worriedly.

No matter what, if Robbie was in trouble, Kelsey was here to help however she could.

Robbie ran her hand through her hair, pulling out a few of the curls from her elegant up-do to fall alongside her face. “Hm. What to do? I could call Ella, but she’d tell Dante.”

“We could call Adrien,” Kelsey said, causing Robbie to look at her sharply.

“He’d tell the others,” Robbie said.

“If you’re in danger, maybe they should know,” Kelsey said.

“No… I can’t. I can’t explain why. The fewer people who know, the better,” she said, folding her arms and lowering her head in thought. “Let’s see.”

“I think Adrien can keep a secret if you ask him to,” Kelsey said.

She wasn’t sure, but what was their other option, really?

“I suppose I have no choice,” Robbie said, pulling out her phone. “I want you out of this safely, and I already feel bad for getting you involved. I’ll call Adrien and see if he can pick us up.”

They’d taken a cab over here, but that wouldn’t be safe now that Robbie’s stalkers could be following them.

“Damn,” Robbie said, dialing a number and putting the phone up to her ear. “I haven’t seen them in years, and now I’m out with you and this happens? Unreal.”

Kelsey bit her lip nervously. It was pretty bad luck, but Kelsey was more worried about what would happen to Robbie if she put keeping her secret above ensuring her own safety.

“Hi, Adrien?” Robbie said into the phone. “Yeah, it’s Robbie. … Yes, things are fine. We’re at the mall. … No, she’s fine.” She sighed. “Anyway, can you come pick us up?”