They weren’t kidding. If they didn’t look so sincere, she would have laughed. “I’m not going to a brawl. Xavier’s staff isn’t going to attack me.”
“No need to get upset, Isabel,” Michael said. Leaning forward with his elbows propped on his knees, he looked very serious when he added, “You haven’t seen what men are capable of. I have.”
His patronizing tone irritated her. “I’ll make a deal with you, Michael. If this rehearsal turns out to be an ambush, I’ll be sure to call you.”
“Okay, you’re on your own,” Michael warned. “But if you get into trouble, you damn well better call me.”
She didn’t dare roll her eyes. “Yes, I will,” she promised, wondering how many times she was going to have to say it.
“Don’t get distracted. Focus on the task at hand while you’re there. When you don’t pay attention, you become vulnerable.”
For the love of... Did he think she would space out and write a song in her head while meeting Xavier? It was pointless to argue with him, she decided, because it wouldn’t matter. Besides, the two men were giving each other a knowing look, and it made her wonder. Did she get distracted so often that even they noticed?
“Do you have pepper spray in your bag?” he asked.
“Do I... You want me to carry pepper spray to the rehearsal?”
“Yes, I do.”
“You should always carry it,” Nick told her.
“Should I hold it in my hand when I meet Xavier in case he tries anything funny?”
Laurant interrupted. “Isabel, your car is here. He’s early, isn’t he?”
Nick and Michael stood. Isabel put her hand up. “Stay,” she demanded.
“We just want to meet the driver,” Nick said.
“And show him your gun and badge?” Isabel asked.
Nick shrugged. “He’ll probably notice it.”
They both started for the door again. “Stay,” she ordered, louder this time. She felt as though she were training dogs.
Nick’s attention was diverted when Laurant appeared in the doorway. Staring at his wife inquisitively, he said, “You’re all dressed up. Are you supposed to go somewhere?”
The question lightened Isabel’s mood, and she was laughing as she ran outside.
She came to a quick stop. Noah was draped over the driver’s open door, talking to him. Noah’s gun was very noticeable. He opened the door for her with a devilish grin. She couldn’t imagine what he’d been telling the driver.
She wasn’t left guessing for long. The driver told her his name was Jax and then said, “I understand you have a federal judge, three FBI agents, a lawyer who works for the Justice Department, and a chief of police in your family. Did I get that right? Or was Agent Clayborne joking?”
She laughed. Talk about intimidation tactics. “No, he was telling the truth.” She started to say “They’re a,” then stopped herself. “We’re a law-abiding family.”
“Should Xavier be worried about any of them?”
“No, of course not,” she said. She didn’t add the fact that Noah hadn’t mentioned the one brother he should worry about. The former Navy SEAL named Michael.
Wanting to change the subject, she asked Jax if they were going to a recording studio to rehearse or to The Garden.
“Directly to The Garden,” he answered. “Xavier wants to show you the layout. He has a large suite, and you’ll probably rehearse there.”
The closer they came to The Garden, the more nervous she became. Her stomach was doing flip-flops.
“The last time Xavier and I were in Boston, there was a huge snowstorm,” Jax commented. He continued to talk about their trips to Boston until they were circling the street close to the entrance.
“When I pull up, two guards will accompany you to Xavier. Keep your head down and walk between them. You’ll be all right.”