Page 31 of Guarding the Star

Everything accurate. Everything true. Everything laid out clean.

My phone keeps buzzing. Two more from my boss. Three from Alexandra Drummond. One from Hades.

It's a disaster.

My first thought isn't tactical. It's Iris.

I dial her number. Rings. Rings. Rings.

“Yeah?” she answers, voice rough. Half asleep.

“Iris. Don't look at your phone. I'm coming to your room.”

“Jesus, Paula. What time is it? Is it six? Are you seriously waking me up at six in the morning?” she groans.

She opens the door in pajamas, eyes half shut, a pillow crease still on her cheek.

“What's going on? You're scaring me.”

“You should sit down,” I murmur, pointing at the bed.

“Oh man, if you're telling me to sit down, it's something really bad. Just tell me what the hell is going on,” she snaps.

“It leaked. A digital outlet published that I'm your bodyguard. They have contract details, my firm, my military background. Everything,” I admit, biting my lower lip and looking away.

Iris goes still. She doesn't even blink.

“Who? Who could've done this? Only a handful of people knew.”

“They cite an anonymous source within the club, but with something like this you can never be completely sure.”

“Wait, someone from the club sold my security to a media outlet? Are you serious?”

“That's what it looks like, but like I said, it could never be—”

“And now everyone knows we're not a couple?”

“Everyone will know by the end of the day,” I admit.

Iris sits on the bed. Slow. Stares at the wall.

“The stalker will know too, right?” she asks, voice dropping.

“Probably. Almost certainly.”

“Shit,” she breathes.

She sits with her hands on her knees, breathing hard. The TV is off. The note I left her a few days ago is still in the open nightstand drawer. I can see it from here.

“Does Alex know?” she asks.

“I have several missed calls from her.”

“Hades?”

“Her too.”

“Good. Get everyone in the conference room at the club. One hour. I'm going to shower.”