Page 69 of Emeric

“I’ve been lifting you up all your life just like you do for me.” She reminded me of how we’d always depended on each other. We’d built a strong relationship for it.

“You have, and I love you for it.”

She waved me off. “Stop looking for the needle and instead find Sylvan a new home. Jordan has too much on his plate. While he says he’ll find him one, you know Sylvan better. You’ve been living with him. I’m sure he’s mentioned what he’d like in his next place.”

I shifted in the chair. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to help him. The problem was when he did find a home, he would go there instead of staying in the city with Oleander and me. I was a selfish asshole in that I didn’t want him to be far from us. Oleander couldn’t leave the area. He could probably live near Jordan’s building, but he had to be able to get there fast when need be. My hotel wasn’t far from there, but I didn’t have to live near it. I could commute here, making where I lived more flexible.

Was I getting ahead of myself by thinking about living with them when this was done? Absolutely, but I didn’t give a fuck. I didn’t want to go back to the way things were in that instance. I wanted to spend my nights with them. To sleep beside them, making love to them. I wanted it all and knew they did too. The how was the problem. We had to find a way to meet in the middle where it worked for all of us, except Sylvan wasn’t thrilled about being in the city. He’d gotten used to living away from the busy streets and sidewalks.

When I glanced up, Lana was still watching me. “Renovate,” she said. “You don’t need to find the perfect home, just the perfect location. You can gut an already standing home or knock it down and start fresh. Whatever the case may be, find a location where it’s not in the heart of the city, while also not being so far out that you and Oleander can’t get to work fast if need be.”

“I didn’t think of it that way. I was more focused on how it felt like I was going to lose him.”

“Understandable. I’m here to offer clarity and be the voice of reason.” She grinned. “Now stop whatever search you’re on and find the perfect spot. Solve a different problem. Let the pros find the person responsible.”

I nodded. On to searching for the right property it was. That didn’t mean I wasn’t curious about Lawson. The articles I’d found about him were vaguer, but being curious about why he was so secretive about parts of his life. That annoyed me. Was no one allowed to have privacy? I didn’t care who it was, celebrity, entrepreneur, whatever. People deserved their own peace. Maybe I was just as bad, since I sat here wondering who he was and why he showed only certain parts to specific people.

“Stop,” Lana said, drawing me out of my head.

“Did you ever wonder about Lawson?”

“No, because it’s not my business unless I have to represent him. Stop thinking about him. Your part in this whole mess will go away once they figure out why Lawson is the one being targeted and who is doing it.”

“Fine,” I grumbled. It was a nice distraction while it lasted. I wanted to rip my hair out, but it still gave me another way to spend my time when my mind wouldn’t stop worrying long enough to get work done. At least Lana pointed me in another direction that wasn’t work-related.

“You act like it’s so difficult to help find a new home for not only Sylvan but potentially all of you. That’s a big task and one I’m not sure anyone else is thinking of. Sylvan is probably dealing with a lot of anxiety over losing his safe space. Oleander, well, that man can wind himself up but also be calm as hell. I’m not sure how he does it to himself. He’s probably focused on finding whoever this is and dealing with protecting Vail in the meantime. That’s all a guess. I honestly have no idea what they’re thinking, but I’ve been around Jordan and his guards for long enough to have half a clue.”

Sometimes, Lana was very chatty. She didn’t have many friends she could confide in, given what her job was and who she did it for. Other times, my sister barely said two words to me. Instead, I got looks, nudges, or whatever it took to get me to do what she thought was best.

I returned my gaze to the computer and brought up a website for local home listings while Lana focused on her phone. I couldn’t find anything in the area I wanted to stay in. It had to be in the city but not in the center of it all. Sylvan wouldn’t like that. Wherever this place was, it needed enough grassy land for him to have his greenhouse. He should have everything he had at the other house in the new one.

A knock on the door brought my head up. I breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Oleander standing there with a sweet smile on his gorgeous lips. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. I could see the bottom part of his tattoo, tempting me to reveal the rest. God, he was beautiful.

“If you keep looking at me like that, you’d better be prepared to do something about it,” he said.

Lana stood. “That’s my cue. Remember what I said, Em.” She didn’t look back as she left, but she did usher Oleander inside and close the door behind him.

“What were you two talking about?” he asked.

I could lie and tell him it was just about the house, or I could tell him the truth. I went with the truth, laying out what I’d been doing when I came to the hotel to work, then how Lana showed up today and had me change my focus.

“Jesus, Em.” He raked his hand through his hair. Maybe I should have kept it to myself as I’d originally thought. “Lawson is already looking everywhere. There’s nothing you’re going to uncover that hasn’t already been found.”

“I’m flattered by your faith in my skills.”

“It’s not that. We have the best people in the right jobs for a reason. Lawson isn’t where he is because he sucks at finding and deleting shit online or covering his tracks or a million other things. I wouldn’t ask you to guard Vail for me if I couldn’t one day. There are others for that. But there’s only one you. What would happen if you stumbled upon shit you shouldn’t? That threat we already have would be worse, because you would be the target the next time. I’m not saying this to be a dick. Stop poking around in places you shouldn’t.”

A part of me wanted to rebel, to tell him to go fuck himself, that I’d do whatever the hell I pleased. He had a point though. I didn’t think about the ramifications if someone found me online and tracked me. I could put a target on the men I…

“I love you,” I blurted without giving it a second thought.

Oleander’s eyes widened. He crossed the room in a few strides, rounded the desk, and planted the biggest kiss on me. When he pulled back, his gaze met mine. “I love you too.”

“I need to go to Sylvan to tell him too.” I shouldn’t have done this without him here, but I couldn’t keep it inside any longer.

“He’s cooking with Vail. I came to get you and take you back so you can eat with us.”

“I have to tell him first.”