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"It’s fine" She shot him a tense smile "I just need some privacy"

"Of course" He nodded and lifted a hand toward the elevators, but Ava didn’t want to chance that soitated in confined spaces, and the elevators in the hotel were small She walked toward the stairs instead Her phone was already out and she was dialing her mother’s nuht flooded over her, baking the tile that covered the roof Ava took shelter under one of the generous shade covers that marked a quiet corner As she suspected, the terrace was deserted Keeping away fro across the world in Los Angeles

"Hello?" Lena Matheson answered in a groggy voice "Ava, what’s wrong?"

It was just past ht in LA

"Did you and Carl hire soround, a quiet growl that herabout?"

"Did you hire someone, Mother?"

There was a quiet huff "Well, really, Ava, what did you expect? You asked Carl to have pepper spray delivered to your hotel He--"

"That’s precautionary, Mom! I do that anywhere I’ve never been before when I’ht, nervous part of her stoer after all Despite the unusual voice, the uard hired by her overprotectiveshe couldn’t handle

"Just go about your business and ignore him He has a job to do, and you know Carl won’t fire hiot wind of the incident in the alley today "This is Istanbul It’s very safe as long as you’re s in New Jersey You really don’t need to--"

"Have you forgotten Cassie Traver? She was in Paris and she was kidnapped Let’s not take any chances, Ava You knoorries"

You mean how his accountant worries The only reason her stepfather had started up with the guards again was because of the enormous amount of money the Travers had been forced to pay to Cassie’s kidnappers Ava had no illusions of paternal concern

"Just tell him to keep his distance I know you won’t fire him, but I don’t want to see him anywhere near me"

"Do you want to talk to Carl?"

"What do you think?"

There was a heavy pause on the line "Okay Are you… having fun?"