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I step back to allow Eleanor and Phillip to enter the house, close the door behind them, and walk back to the kitchen in time to hear Eleanor say, “It was supposed to be a surprise”

She glares over at round and cross my arms over my chest

“Keeping secrets frohness isn’t what I’m paid to do”

“It wasn’t a harmful secret,” she mutters “Well, surprise anyway”

“Hello, darling” Sebastian offers his sister a hug “To what do e the pleasure?”

“Oh, you don’t want to know, and I don’t want to talk about it,” she replies before sinking into a chair next to her brother “Let’s just say I needed a holiday Far away from London”

“How long will you be staying?” Sebastian asks before I can

“As long as possible Maybe a couple of months”

I s the expletive before it crosses my lips

A couple of months

I trade a look with Phillip “Will you be staying with her?”

“She’s oes”

“You have a family in London,” Eleanor reminds him “You certainly don’t have to stay With Liam and Nick and the rest of Liam’s team, I’ll be safe”

“We’ll discuss it,” I say to Phillip “If you don’t need us any o back to headquarters”

“Go, get some rest,” Sebastian says “And thank you”

“Thank you,” Eleanor echoes as Phillip and I walk out of the main house and down to HQ where the security team lives while on duty

Nick—Sebastian’s wife Nina’s personal security—and I live here full time The other team members live in town and work in shifts

“You can take the second bedrooht upstairs,” I inform Phillip

“Thanks, but I’ll be up now Jet lag”

I nod I rarely sleep myself And now that Eleanor is on the property, I’ll sleep even less She has that effect onwill be at 0700”

Chapter 1

~Ellie~

“Hello, Mu the phone just a little too close for FaceTieneration struggles with technology

I’uest roo in my hands

“I have your father with“Say hello to Ellie, dear”

“Can you let Father hold the phone? He has longer arms, and I can see you both that way”