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As he shut the front door behind all of thes by the coffee table and a s on top of it Definitely not hers He frowned "Who’s here with you?" He knew Zoe dated but it didn’t mean he had to like it And he definitely didn’t want to think about her having soetaway

Zoe’s eyes widened at the question and for a brief aze "No one is here And you still haven’t answered anything" Swiveling, she looked directly at Jordan who appeared like a deer locked in headlights as his sister zeroed in on her

She held out a friendly hand "Since my brother hasn’t introduced us yet, I’ave her a tentative smile as she returned the handshake "My name’s Jordan Alvarado"

At that, his sister snapped He could see it in the tense lines of her body before she let her temper fly free as she turned back on hied at her words, his own anger exploding at that word "Don’t ever call her that"

"Why not? She is!"

In thatZoe about Jordan He’d been shitfaced and feeling sorry for hi on her His sister had been giving hiht So he’d just laid everything out to her To give her credit she’d never told the rest of the fa memory Vincent turned to Jordan who looked as if she’d been slapped He hated seeing pain on her face but he could only deal with one probleh there" He gestured with a hand, trying to curb his i, Jordan hurried out and Vincent had to rein in his anger He reuy had hurt her, he’d kick their ass "I don’t have ti I can say is that I’o back to Miaht It’s not safe here for you Please don’t tell the fa down here and getting caught in the line of fire" The drive back would be over three hours and he felt bad about that, but he needed his sister gone

At those words, it seemed as if erous situation?"

"Yes And I can’t explain it all to you"

"Fine, I literally just got here anyway" She pulled out her phone, sent off a couple texts, then slid it into the back pocket of her shorts "Seriously, what’s going on?" she whispered "Why do you have her here? I thought she split on you years ago?"

He scrubbed a hand over his face, feeling exhausted "It’s coh, but I’ve got questions and you’re going to answer thenized all too well

"Good, then you can tell s to because I know it’s not yours"

She just snorted, picked up the two bags and started to head out

"Wait, where did you park?" There was only rooe and his was in it But if she’d just arrived, she likely wouldn’t have seen it yet And there was no car in the driveway

"I didn’t, I was dropped off becauseAnd nowtown"

"Daue with you about how stupid you are to be helping that wo up ue with her but kneould be pointless She was the most stubborn woman he’d ever met Besides their ave him a kiss on the cheek then hurried out He followed her, watching as she left through the gate and got into an idling black SUV He memorized the license plate as it drove away because whatever his sister was keeping fro the front door, he found Jordan sitting at the center island Copper pots and pans hung frohts on, the roohts above them

He ran a hand over his hair "I’m sorry about hed, the sound strained "Yeah she did And it’s fine, seriously I understand why she’d feel that way about et into that now His sister was gone and he could focus on keeping Jordan safe "Listen, I’ve got to et settled in, then we’re going to sit down and go over a few things, okay?" He still needed to contact Lizzy and he was asking another friend for backup because right noanted Jordan to have as much protection as possible

She looked as if she wanted to say more, but just nodded, the strain around her eyes andhis, he wrapped his arh she returned his e her head on his chest, she was still stiff As if she was trying to pull back from him Whether literally or emotionally he wasn’t sure He didn’t care He wouldn’t let her pull back froht noasn’t the ti to coain She’d lived for seven years in a state of fear, whether ram because she’d assumed she didn’t have any eneet a the strain He wouldn’t add to it