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Isabella ran her fingers down the sleeve.

“How did you know my size?”

Aria smiled mysteriously.

“You’ll learn.”

“Come on,” Nik said. “We need to beat the worst of the traffic and weather.”

Outside, the cold hit hard enough to steal Isabella’s breath.

Her eyes went huge.

“Holy shit.”

I laughed and tucked her against my side.

“That’s New Jersey. Wait until the wind comes off the Hudson.”

A DarkMatter man opened the rear passenger door of the center SUV.

Nik stopped beside it.

“I’m driving.”

Rory raised a brow.

“You?”

“Yes.”

The convoy was already arranged with one armored SUV ahead and another behind. Henri, Aria, Gabriel, and the rest of the security detail split between the lead and rear vehicles.

Lucian took the front passenger seat beside Nik.

I climbed into the second row behind Nik, while Isabella settled beside me behind Lucian.

Scarlett and Lacey were already waiting in the back. Scarlett immediately leaned forward between the seats and squeezed my shoulder, relief softening her face.

“Good to have you back, Lach.”

“Good to be back.”

Lacey reached forward and caught my forearm, her fingers tightening around it for a moment before she let go. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t need to.

Then both women turned their attention to Isabella.

Before I could make the introductions, Scarlett leaned forward again, her red hair spilling over one shoulder.

“Hi. I’m Scarlett.”

Isabella smiled nervously. “Hi.”

Lacey leaned over the seatback and wrapped an arm around Isabella’s shoulders in a quick, enthusiastic hug.

“And I’m Lacey. We’ve been dying to meet you.”

Isabella glanced at me as if she wasn’t quite sure what to do with that much immediate affection.