I don’t expect any of you to understand.” She pointed a finger toward the floor. “You don’t know what it’s like not being able to do what you love without some crutch—not to be able to have someone to love for fear of…”
The guys exchanged meaningful looks over the top of Kianti’s head. Slowly, they crowded her. Cube was first to draw her close and kiss the top of her head.
Brody squeezed her arms. “Don’t you know they’d have to bury us, too, if anything ever happened to you?”
“You’re our meal ticket, girl.” Cube shook her gently. “Not to mention our pass to all the best parties.”
Soft laughter rose among the five. Brody and Kianti had known each other since childhood. Kianti met Cube, Khan and Winton in college where she’d tutored Winton in English Lit while he’d tutored her in Advanced Calculus. Cube, Khan and Winton shared a dorm suite with Brody. Despite the unorthodox dynamic, the group had developed a close-knit relationship that bordered on familial.
Kianti knocked her fist against the denim shirt covering Cube’s wide chest. “Guys, I’ve been off the pills for four weeks. Can’t we just wait and see what happens?”
As a response, Kianti heard all sorts of curses and other low sounds of disapproval.
“Hell, Brody’s the doctor.” Winton rubbed his fingers across the faded haircut he sported. “I have to agree with Khan though, this is plain stupid.” He tugged Kianti out of Cube’s embrace and into his own. “We hear what you’re sayin’, babe, but this is only one pill. Some folks have to take ten times as much medication.”
“And people overcome their need for medication every day.” She tugged the zipper dangling from his windbreaker. “Like you said, some people take ten times as much as I do.”
Bested, Winton waved his hand and turned Kianti toward Brody. “You talk to her.”
“All right, Key, we’ll do it your way.” The doctor stunned everyone, including his patient. “But understand—” he wagged a finger “—you’re backing me—all of us—into a corner here. We can’t force you to do a damn thing when it comes right down to it. This is your life, but you’ve put us in charge of protecting it. Look for us to be even more aggressive in keeping you safe, calm and rested. Even if we have to tie you down in a bed to make it happen.”
Khan nudged her side. “That part’ll be easy since we’ve all thought of doing it at one time or another.” He winked, waiting for the smile he was trying to rouse from her. He succeeded, joining in when she grinned.
“If none of this works, you’re back on the pills. Agreed?” Brody brought the seriousness back to the moment.
Kianti’s nod came slowly but with a great deal of relief. She no longer had to hide.
“All right, y’all, we should go,” Brody told the guys and squeezed Kianti’s hand. “You rest up. We’re out of here in a few hours.”
“Are they around her all the time?”
“Pretty much from what I gather.”
“Well, who are they? To her, I mean?”
Therin began questioning Vaughn about Kianti Lawrence shortly after the rest of the staff left them alone in the living area.
“She’s not…involved with them all, is she?” Therin smiled, knowing the idea was ludicrous. Still, for a woman like that…it wouldn’t be a difficult thing to keep a man or four dangling.
“It’s not like that, man,” Vaughn said through his chuckling.
“From what you gather?” Therin countered, watching as Vaughn shrugged.
“What’s got you so interested here?”
Therin’s expression was incredulous. “Did you take a good look at her this morning?”
“Damn straight I did.” Vaughn swore while raising his hands for confirmation. “She’s a goddess but she doesn’t live in this hotel. Neither do you. You don’t even live in the country—technically.”
Therin had moved over to the windows and sat on the back of the oversize chair facing them.
Vaughn followed. “Talk to me, T. What is it about this one?”
“Hell, man, what’s the big deal?” His grin was forced. “I only asked if she’s attached to her bodyguards.”
“Simple as that, huh?” Vaughn rubbed at the receding edge of his hairline. His handsome honey-toned face was a picture of disbelief. “How many times did you zone out this morning, man?”
“Understandable.” Therin tapped his hand to the front of the sweatshirt he wore. “I wasn’t particularly interested in the conversation when I walked out of here earlier.”
“Mmm-hmm, and you weren’t all too pleased that I interrupted your breakfast to ask you to join us back up here.”
“Like I said, just didn’t want to be part of the discussion.”
“What do you expect could come of this, T? All right, all right,” he said when Therin flashed him a cold look. “May I at least ask if you’re trying to make sure you’re not playing with someone else’s toy?”
Therin smiled then. “No. I only want to know whose toy I’m about to take away.”
Vaughn burst into laughter and nodded when his boss asked that he check out Kianti Lawrence and her crew.
Kianti bit her lip and tried to cast covert glances around the lobby. She and the guys would be leaving for the airport as soon as the car was packed. Therin had promised to say goodbye.
She bowed her head, snuggling into the high collar of the black cashmere coat she wore. Idiot, she chastised herself. That brief acquaintance was over and done with. What else could it have been?
Distance wasn’t the only deciding factor there, either. She was sick of involvements that dissolved because of a weak heart. She smiled unamused and wondered what had done more damage to her heart—her illness or the amount of times her heart had been broken. She felt hands squeeze her arms and masked her disappointment when she saw Winton at her side.
“We’re all set. You got everything?”
Kianti risked another glance around the spacious lobby and then nodded. “Let’s go home,” she said.
“Ruby? Ruby, calm down. For the third time, I didn’t call to fire you.”
“Sorry, Therin. Sorry,” Ruby Loro blubbered, sniffled and gasped over the phone. “I shouldn’t have done it—keeping my past a secret like that. I just—just felt like I didn’t have a choice. Stupid!” she called herself and hiccupped on a few more sobs. “I thought…the movies were the easiest choice—quickest path to success, or so I thought. God…” she moaned and broke into another stretch of tears. “I’m sorry…”
“Ruby. Calm yourself.” Therin’s voice was patience personified.
“I’ll
