Chapter 2
“What the hell is this supposed to mean?” Dad glared at Evander kneeling on the floor.
“Fifty grand a month isn’t enough to keep you here? You’d rather go back to that shithole?”
Evander kept his eyes down, his jaw tightened. “I’m not worthy of serving Miss Elara.” The disgust in his voice was barely concealed.
I let out a tired sigh. Ever since I got these scars at ten trying to save Celeste, this face has been nothing but a liability. Maybe that’s why Renric treated me like garbage in my past life too.
“Evander, no! You can’t abandon my sister!” Celeste dropped to her knees beside him, frantically tugging at his arm to try to pull him up. Her voice cracked with desperation.
Evander’s entire expression softened as he looked at her “I didn’t come here for her.”
I stayed quiet, watching the little drama unfold. Celeste tried to hide the flash of joy that crossed her face, quickly schooling her
features into an angry frown. “That’s not fair! I won’t let you go back to that awful place to suffer!”
“There’s a simple solution here,” I said, cutting through their theatrics. “Celeste can just keep both of them.”
Celeste’s cheeks flushed bright red. “What… what are you even saying?”
But I’d seen how she’d been stealing glances at both brothers since the moment they walked through our door-two gorgeous guys who hung on her every word.
Dad stroked his chin thoughtfully. “You really don’t want either of them protecting you?”
“Nope. I don’t want either one.” My voice came out flat and final.
Both brothers turned to stare at me, probably wondering what gave me the right to reject them so casually. Renric’s expression was harder to read-there was something more than just confusion there.
“Can you guarantee your own safety then?”
“Probably not,” I admitted with a shrug.
Dad looked genuinely stunned by my honesty.
“Just send me to brother Damon’s place. He’s got a whole security team already set up.”
