Chapter 266

Archer pries the frame from my twitching fingers and tosses it to the side. “Come on,” he says, directing me. “Let’s get the things on your list.”

I’m in shock. I must be, because my body isn’t listening to my brain.

“Where’s the list?” Archer asks.

With shaking hands I manage to reach into my pocket and retrieve the list. Archer gently takes it from me and then proceeds to collect the items for me.

I’m lost in my thoughts.

Why would anyone want to steal a picture of my mom?

There’s only one real answer, isn’t there? So they can track her down. So they can hurt her.

When Archer returns to me, he’s holding a bag of my things and I’m shaking.

“Let’s get you back,” he says. He wraps an arm around my waist and begins to guide me to the door. I clutch my dagger to me with both hands.

“Archer,” I say. “My mom.”

“I know,” he says and keeps me walking.

When we are back at the Pyramid, Archer deposits me on the couch in the living room. By now, he’s coaxed the dagger out of my hands and added it to the bag of my effects.

“I’ll take this to your room and get the others,” he says.

I nod because I think I’ll be okay. But the minute he’s gone, I feel cold and lost. I wrap my arms around myself.

I need to pull it together. If my mom is in danger, she’ll need me to be strong for her. I’ll have to be strong and touch to protect her from whatever goons the Alpha King and his wife might send her way.

Before long, all of the brothers enter the room. Beau, seeing me first, instantly comes to my side and wraps an arm around my shoulders. I turn into him.

“It’s going to be alright,” he says. “We’ll get to her and protect her.”

“We aren’t sure Chloe’s mom is a true target,” Steven says. He gives me an apologetic look. I know he’s trying to be rational about this. It’s so hard to see through the fear.

“They kept her picture,” I say. “I looked around. It wasn’t discarded on the floor or in the trash. It was nowhere.”

“We don’t know for sure who broke in,” Steven says.

“Yeah,” Archer snapped. “Because the cameras weren’t working.”

Shamed, Steven lowers his head. “Sorry.”

“Archer,” I say, scolding. Even in my shock, I know attacking each other isn’t going to help anything.

“They broke through a weakness in my code,” Steven says. “I’ve since fixed it. I’ve reinforced all my fire walls. It will not happen again. Not here. Not anywhere.”

“I think it’s best if we assume that the people who broke into the penthouse have connections to our parents,” Neil says. He’s using his leader voice, taking charge of the situation as he is so often good at. Everyone naturally deflects to him, even me. “I also believe we should assume they are after Chloe’s mom.”

Steven lowers his head again.

“That isn’t a criticism,” Neil clarifies. “But I would rather we overprotect Chloe’s family, then underprepare and be wrong.” He looks to me. “Chloe. Call your mother and find out if you can return to visit for a few days.”

I nod and retrieve my phone.

“Ask if you can bring friends with you,” Neil says.

I look up at him. “How many friends?”

The brothers all look at each other. Some kind of silent argument happens right in front of me. It’s over before I can fully interpret it.

“Four,” Neil concedes.

“And a baby,” Beau adds.

“And a baby,” Neil says.

I can see this as a temporary solution. We can protect my mom while we are there, but I doubt everyone will want to stay forever. My brow furrows with worry. When we inevitably leave, mom will be unprotected again.

“Leave it to me, Chloe,” Steven says. He lifts his chin, pride covering the guilt in his eyes. “While we are there, I will secretly install a new security system. We’ll be able to keep regular tabs on your family.”

“If it works,” Archer grunts.

“It will work,” Steven snaps back. He’s more confident now.

“I trust you, Steven,” I tell him. “If you say it will work, I believe you.” I told no lie. I trust each brother implicitly with my safety, as well as the safety of those closest to me.

Steven is not prone to failure. And now that it’s happened to him, I know he’ll work three times as hard to make sure it never happens again.

“We can also try to bring Wyatt onto our side,” Neil suggests.

Beau snorts. “The beta would be more likely to want us all dead.”

“But he wouldn’t want something to happen to his father,” Neil says. “If the Alpha King breaks into their home, he’s unlikely to be merciful to the rest of the family.”

Beau falls silent.

I struggle to imagine Wyatt ever turning to our side, even to help his father. Not if it means also helping my mother and me. But I appreciate Neil’s optimism. It’s more like the Neil I know, and that gives me comfort.

I’m ready to make my call.

I dial Mom and lift my phone to my ear.

“Chloe?” She picks up on the fourth ring.

“Is this a bad time?” I ask. I try to keep the worry from my voice, but she must be able to hear how it wavers.

Her tone softens at once. “Of course not, dear. Are you okay?”

“Kind of,” I don’t want to lie to my mom. I know there are things I can’t tell her for her own safety. But I’ll be as truthful as I can. “I was thinking… if it would be okay with you…”

“You want to come visit?” the excitement in her voice is palpable. It makes me smile, despite everything else.

“Yeah. If that’s okay.”

“It’s more than okay! Oh, honey, I’ve missed you so much. I can’t wait to see you.”

Neil points at himself. Oh. Right.

“Um. Mom, something else. Would it be okay if I brought a few friends over too?”

“Oh,” she still sounds excited, so that’s still probably a yes. “Is it break?”

Oh Gods. I forgot all about school. I look to Neil but he shakes his head.

I’ll take care of it, he mouths.

Okay. School can wait, apparently.

“Yeah… something like that. There will be four of us, uh… and… a baby.”

Mom inhales so sharply, I’m worried she might have hurt herself. “Your baby?!”

“No. No!” Oh Gods. “No, Mom. You know I’m a Nanny, right? This is the baby I’m… nannying.”

“Oh…” Mom’s voice lowers, almost like she’s… disappointed? Priorities, Mom! I’m still in school! This is no time for kids!

“Everyone is welcome,” Mom says. “I’d love to see the little bundle of joy. What’s her name again?”

“Mia.”

“Such a lovely name! Oh gosh, I wish she was yours.”

“Mom!” My cheeks burn red. Steven’s embarrassed too, looking away from me. Neil looks bemused. Archer’s expression is unchanged. Beau waggles his eyebrows at me, likely about to make a lewd comment about making babies. I turn myself and the phone away from him.

“We’ll be so happy to have you and your friends, Chloe.” She sounds genuinely pleased. But then her voice lowers. “Dear, is one of these friends… special?”

Oh, Gods. Now she wants to know if I’m dating one of them. I certainly can’t tell her the truth there!

No, Mom, but I am having super casual sex with three of them while the fourth one and I lust after each other.

She misinterprets my silence, because the excitement returns to her voice, “Chloe… do you have a boyfriend?!”