“I’m being kidnapped,” Tessa said. “Again.”

I whipped around. I hated any reminder of what Rupert Fairbanks had done to her.

Her face softened and she cupped my cheek. “I like this kidnapping a lot better. He’s gone, Ro. He can’t hurt us.”

Rupert was in a psychiatric facility. She was right. He was never coming back. I set him out of my mind.

We crossed the lobby and at the front door, Enzo smiled. “Welcome home. Your car’s ready.”

“Thanks, Enzo.”

Once I’d decided to make Windward home, I’d bought myself a sleek Aston Martin Vanquish Volante in steel gray. I opened the passenger side door for Tessa and she slid in. She’d made me promise not to drive the car in winter. To be fair, I didn’t drive it much. I kept it garaged at the hotel because Tessa and I walked to work most days from her house.

I started the engine, took a second to admire the growl, then set off. We drove through town.

“So what’s this surprise?”

“You need to look up the definition of surprise, Ms. Ashford.”

She shot me a look and rolled her eyes.

I’d learned over the last two months that my woman hated surprises. She hated not knowing and not being prepared.

“Have you heard from your father?” Tessa asked.

“No, thank God. Not a peep.”

She watched me carefully and I knew she was trying to take my temperature. I reached out and squeezed her knee.

“I’m fine, baby. Things are better with him gone. I did hear some news.”

“Oh?”

“He and Tawny split up.”

“Trinity.”

“Whatever. She’s trying to get a settlement out of him, he wants the ring back, and things are messy.”

“What a surprise,” Tessa said sarcastically.

I drove into an area of Windward with beautiful homes perched on the hillside. It was still in the eastern side of town and only a few blocks from Tessa’s house. “No more talk about my father.”

“Oh, there are some gorgeous places here.” She peered out the window. “Emily and I used to come and daydream about what house we’d buy if we won the lottery.”

I pulled into the driveway of a house. It wasn’t as big as some of the rambling mansions—but I knew Tessa would want a home, not a showpiece. It had lots of glass and lots of natural stone. It reminded me a little of the Langston Windward.

She shot me a confused look. “Ro, what are⁠—?”

I took her hand and squeezed. “Come and see.”

We exited the car, and I tugged her up the drive. I pulled out a set of keys and unlocked the front door.

Her brow creased. “You have a key?”