My heart gave a small thump.

“You would do that?” I asked.

“It is the only way to keep Helena from using my name to file petitions,” he said. “If I have no legal claim to take them from you, she has no leverage.”

“It also means you are giving up a lot of power,” I said.

“I don’t want power over you,” he said. “I want to earn their trust.”

I looked out the window at the endless stretch of clouds.

The flight to Chicago was fast, but every minute felt like an hour.

By the time we landed at Midway, the rain had stopped.

A driver Blake had arranged was waiting for us.

We drove through the familiar streets of Chicago in silence.

When we turned onto my street, my eyes scanned the sidewalks.

The black town car was gone.

But there was a dark SUV parked two houses down.

The headlights were off.

“They are still watching,” I said.

“I’ll have my security team replace your guards with a larger detail,” Blake said.

“No,” I said. “I will hire my own. I have the budget now.”