Page 133 of What Remains

“I thought you were going to pull her back. Not push her off the bloody ledge.” Dad’s jaw tightens so hard, I’m about to ask Easton to throw him some gum so he doesn’t grind his teeth to dust.

“There is no ledge.” I step in front of Easton as a shield—probably the only time he would let me do this since there’s no risk of danger for me. “Hear out the rest of the plan. Please.”

“Maybe you should listen to her,” Carter interjects himself into the fight, and I won’t stand in Carter’s way if he’s willing to hear me out.

Uncle Gray echoes the same command, and I shudder in relief to have their support.

“I don’t answer to either of you.” Dad’s bite is actually worse than his bark, so I have to tread lightly here. He looks around me at his target, glaring at Easton in a way that has me believing he could freeze lava.

Easton sidesteps me, setting a hand on my arm, his thumb pressing once, then twice—grounding me back into my body. While he very, very reluctantly agreed to this plan, he had several if-then and if-not requirements, which Dad will no doubt share if I can ever get him to listen.

“You want my daughter to walk out of this hotel, publicly claim a crime that isn’t hers, and let strangers put their hands on her.”

“Okay, it does sound terrible when you say it like that.” Shit, meant to think that, not say it.

Dad’s gaze whips between us, eyes bulging like he’s one heartbeat away from a medical emergency. “You don’t put your life on a chessboard like this. What are you thinking?”

“Wow,” I blurt out, “look at you using⁠—”

“That’s how messed up this is making me,” he cuts in, dragging a hand through his hair. “I can’t think straight.”

Natasha makes a discreet come-here gesture, and I move to her side, out of the blast zone. We only pulled the four of them in here for this showdown, and I’m counting on her support.

“With all due respect,” Easton finally breaks his silence, and I was beginning to wonder if he changed his mind, “they’re controlling the clock. Every move we’ve made has been reactionary. Gwen’s right, this might be our only chance to control the situation and take back the power.”

“I can’t believe you’re siding with her,” Dad scoffs.

Easton’s gaze moves to me for a second before he shifts back to Dad. “Her side is the only one I’ll ever be on,” he proclaims, the air of authority in his tone making it crystal clear he’s not backing down.

I could kiss him here in front of everyone for that, but you know . . . there’s a growly man in front of us looking for a fight.

Dad stares at Easton. Quietly. Intensely. Anger barely reined in. “And you damn well better always be on my baby’s side.”

Baby, oh Dad.

But.

Awwww, did he just . . .

Focus, focus.

Dad stabs the air and ruins the moment by adding, “Unless her safety is in question.”

Easton holds up his hand in a plea to hear him out. Good luck with that. “We’ll have your father-in-law and the president backing us. The British will be forewarned about what we’re doing. And you and I will be with her the whole time,” Easton assures him. “All of that is non-negotiable for this plan to move so much as an inch forward.” He pivots to me, ensuring I hear those words, too.

Yeah, I know. I lightly shake my head.

“She’ll never be out of our sight.” Easton’s voice drops as he continues. “And no one is getting to her through us. Who better to personally escort her than the two men who⁠—”

He stops.

Too late.

I lurch forward, but Natasha catches my wrist, a silent urge to hold back for now. I’m about to forget all about Dad’s impending meltdown and, in front of everyone here, ask Easton what he was about to say. And why he cut himself off.

Before anyone can say anything, Easton locks back in, forcing me to do the same. “We only move if POTUS clears it and speaks to the British first. Before there’s another strike, she’ll go into protective custody to prove her innocence.”

“This is how we protect our people and secrets,” I join along with him, my nerves still shot. “It’s simple and clean. I tell them now that someone took my rig while we were on vacation in Dubai, and I believe I’m being framed. POTUS backs that up. And in a show of good faith, I’ll stay in British custody to prove I’m telling the truth until the real criminals are caught.”