Tyler led her out of the bedroom with his hand firmly wrapped around hers, like he was afraid she might disappear if he let go for even a second.
Jean walked quietly beside him, masking the storm inside her chest behind a fragile calm.
The villa was enormous.
Sunlight poured through towering glass walls as they descended the curved staircase. Expensive paintings lined the halls, fresh flowers decorated every corner, and soft music drifted somewhere in the distance. It looked less like a temporary hideout and more like a luxurious estate owned by someone powerful enough to hide in plain sight.
But that wasn't what unsettled Jean the most.
It was the security.
Two armed men stood near the front entrance. Another patrolled the hallway leading toward the west wing. She noticed a fourth outside through the windows, speaking into an earpiece while scanning the perimeter.
Jean's stomach tightened.
This wasn't normal.
