“I’ll call you later, okay?” I ran my fingers through the sides of his hair, and he pressed his forehead against mine once again.

“Okay,” he whispered.

The Escalade stood motionless until I was inside the building, and then it slowly pull away.

Knowing he would be listening, I hurried to my room. I was anxious to calm the storms in Jared’s eyes, even if that meant going toe to toe with Cynthia Grey.

I opened the door and froze. Cynthia stood in the middle of the room, her arms crossed, prepared for confrontation. Beth twisted around in her desk chair, meeting my eyes with a sympathetic expression.

“I think I’m going to grab some coffee. Would either of you like me to bring you something ba—,”

“No thank you,” Cynthia interrupted. She must have been far beyond anger; she was never cross enough to be so rude.

“I’ll take some, Beth, thanks,” I said, making a show of appreciation. Beth nodded and grabbed her coat, rushing out the door.

“Where were you last night?” Cynthia demanded.

“You know perfectly well where I was,” I said, mimicking the set of her chin.

This took her off-guard. Cynthia typically relied on the element of surprise.

She recovered quickly. “You can’t get involved with Jared, Nina. You don’t know anything about him, trust me.”

“I know enough, Mother.” I sat on Beth’s bed and looked to the floor. I would have to choose my words carefully.

Cynthia reared her head and stepped in front of me. “Nina Elizabeth, it’s too dangerous. I know you think you know him, but you don’t.”

I laughed once. “If he’s dangerous then why is he being paid to protect me?”

Cynthia’s mouth flew open. “That arrangement was between him and your father. You’re not listening. He’s not dangerous to you. It’s dangerous for you to be…to become…involved with him. He has just as many enemies as your father.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“Do you?” she asked. “Do you know what you’re getting yourself into? I don’t think you have the slightest idea of where this could lead or the choices you’ll have to make. I don’t think he’s thought this through, either, or he wouldn’t have done this. Maybe not, maybe he’s too selfish to care—,”

“Selfish?” I shrieked. “How can you say that about him? After what we’ve put him and his family through, Mother?”

“Is that what this is about? Guilt?” Cynthia paced the room, arms still crossed.

“No!” I gasped. “It’s nothing like that,” I said, embarrassed that Jared could hear her words.

She closed her eyes and sighed. “Nina…please. I’m begging you. You know that I want you to be happy…but this—this is not going to end well,” her voice was quiet.

I smiled. “Does anything end well?”