"Isn't that the point of knocking on any door?" Luna says, finishing her drink and slamming the glass down a little too loudly. "You know you guys aren't exactly making this limo ride fun."
"Fun is Connor's middle name," Mo says.
"No, it's not, it's Patrick," Luna says.
Elijah's head whips around, and he raises an eyebrow. "How'd you know that?"
"I've read your profiles." Luna shifts, crossing her leg and leaning back so that her arm is resting across the top of the seat. "You don't think I'd agree to travel the world with men I knew nothing about."
"Very thorough," I say, nodding. Most celebrities aren't interested in their staff. They leave the boring stuff to people they employ. But not Luna.
"What did our profiles tell you?" Mo asks.
"That you're qualified," Luna says.
"Qualified?" Elijah shifts a little, turning his body, so he's perfectly aligned with the girl trying to push all our buttons. "Qualified for what?"
"To keep me safe. To keep each other safe. Maybe to make this tour less boring for me."
"Why do you think it's going to be boring?" I ask.
Luna shrugs, crossing her legs and sliding her hand over her thigh. My mind drifts to follow her actions, distracting me from what I should actually be doing—looking around. Making sure I'm fully focused on the job at hand. "Everything's boring if you don't have someone to share it with," she says. "I grew up with two brothers…I'm used to the company of men."
I met her brother Tyler when she visited to say goodbye. Her other brother Jake died four years ago. They argued about that in front of me, and I felt sorry for Tyler. He seemed broken by Luna's blame, but I think they figured things out. I hope they did. We all need family if they're good people.
"Well, now you have seven brothers," Mo says from the front.
"Seven brothers." Luna's eyes drift over Elijah and me, and then she turns to take in what she can see of Mo's profile. Something about her languid movements makes me think she's not on board with the brother idea. "How did your girlfriends take the news that you're going to be away for so long?"
"None of us are dating," Elijah says. "It's easier that way. No distractions. No ties to home."
"No sex," Luna says.
"No trouble," Mo adds from the front.
"No fun," Luna quips. Her fingers trail over her long hair, hair that I've imagined sliding my own hand through or gripping firmly at the nape.
"We're not here to have fun." Elijah nods just once to punctuate his statement. "We're here to stop you from getting kidnapped or hurt by one of these fucking crazy pieces of shit."
I hold my hand up to stop him. He's said enough.
Keeping the crazies from the door is our job. Keeping it all away from Luna is also our job.
Luna's pretty complexion seems to pale a shade. "All work and no play…" she says, but I can tell from her tone that Elijah has rattled her confidence.
When we arrive at the hotel, I'm relieved to see that Luna's location hasn't been compromised. There aren't any screaming fans outside or hotel security trying their best to maintain the flow of guests through the revolving door. It won't stay that way for long, but for now, we can enjoy the unusual peace.
Luna's prepared, and she pulls her sunglasses from her purse, sliding them on to obscure her beautiful face. They're tinted enough to make it hard for her to see in the dark, but she has us to steer her.
Mo and the rest of the team are on the sidewalk first, and when they're content that everything's safe, Mo opens the door. I let Elijah exit first, then Luna, and lastly me. We crowd around her so that not an inch of her small frame is visible. By the time we're inside, Ben has the keycard to the penthouse suite, where we'll be staying for three nights.
Luna has a day to acclimatize and practice and then two days of shows.
The elevator speeds to the top floor, and my ears pop as the doors open. The hotel's VIP manager is waiting at the door. She's expecting to show Luna around, but my team stroll past, taking time to scan the room for anything untoward. Ben uses the black box I call his magic machine to scan for cameras and listening equipment. This is a good hotel, but who knows who's stayed in this room before us. Even good hotels can have staff who'll accept bribes for access.
"This looks great," Luna says vaguely, placing her purse on the console by the door. The suite has four bedrooms and an open-plan seating and dining area at the center—enough space for us all to keep close.
The hotel VIP manager begins her spiel about the room and all of its facilities, but Luna isn't listening. She's drifting across to the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out at the city beneath.