Author's note: Here is the update, my dears! I hope you enjoy Adrian's POV because I apparently do as this chapter is almost completely from his eyes.

Thank you for all the reviews and follows. Keep 'em coming!

Happy reading!

Chapter Eight

I walked into the house Adrian had rented. I dialed his number and pressed the phone to my ear. "Hey, what are you doing?" I asked.

"Just starting to get up and around. What about you?" Adrian answered sleepily.

"Just got the key to your house and decided to do a walk-through."

"So you're standing in my house?" his voice full of excitement.

"I am."

"Fantastic. So, take the keys and go make a second set for you. I'm still trying to work on Jill's mom, but I'll bring her with me if I get the okay."

"Good. I'll do that first thing tomorrow." I wandered through the house.

"If you don't mind, could you get me some furniture? Stuff similar to what I have here, I guess. Just the basics. It is a rent house, so I don't need anything too fancy. Standard bed for both guest rooms, but make the master is a king size. I'll transfer some money into your account."

"Are you sure you trust me with that?"

"I am. Just a couch and chair for the living room. Small dining table and chairs for the kitchen. I'm going to have guardians in my house when Jill visits, so go for six chairs, just to be safe."

"Okay. What about curtains? Bedding?"

"Just standard. I'm not picky. Except with the sheets."

"I know. Egyptian cotton. Five hundred thread count."

"Thank you, honey." He crooned.

"I'll make sure to send you pictures of all the things before I buy them."

"No need, Syd. It's all just temporary anyway."

"Okay. It all looks good here, by the way."

"Good. I can't wait to see it in person." He sighed. "I love you, Sydney."

"And I love you. I'll see you soon." I hung up and looked around the kitchen where I had stopped in her perusal of the house. There was a fridge still there from the previous tenant. I walked over and opened it tentatively.

Thankfully it was empty. But it was also quite dirty. I would put in some elbow grease to get this place ready for my fiancé to move in.

"You have to take Eddie. There is no one else I trust more." Lissa explained. "Except for Rose, and I don't want her to go. I may need her and I know you'd rather you didn't have to spend a month in close-quarters with your ex-girlfriend when you're moving to be near your fiancée."

"Then anyone but Angeline as his second." I suggested. "I think we were lucky in Palm Springs, but they are so much more serious now and Angeline lacks Rose and Dimitri's dedication to the assignment. She could screw up."

"I understand your concerns. Let me talk to Rose and Dimitri. We'll find a replacement for Angeline and some way for her to remain distracted so she doesn't run off to be with Eddie." She reached over and pushed an intercom button.

"Yes?" Rose answered, sounding a little breathless.

"I need a meeting with you and Dimitri."
"We'll be right in."

"Maybe dedication isn't the right word…" I said, stepping toward the door. "I'll let Jill know. She's not going to like this."

"Adrian, I know the situation. But there's really nothing I can do about it. Jill will be fine. Eddie knows how to protect her."

"Whatever you say." I stepped out into the front room to find Rose and Dimitri tugging at their clothes as they walked to Lissa's office. I smirked. "Way to stay on your toes."

Dimitri gave me a hard glare.

Rose just smiled and shrugged.

I waved them off and went in search of Jill. She would be getting out of her last class soon. I stood outside the door to the school and took my one daily allotted cigarette from behind my ear and lit up.

The final bell rang and students started spilling out of the doors. Jill found me and took the cigarette from my hand. She looked at it a second and then dropped it on the ground and stomped it out.

"You know Sydney hates that." She commented.

"I know. But I only smoke one a day."

"You told her you quit. Don't you think it's about time you actually did?"

I sighed. "I didn't come here to be berated by you about my smoking."

"Why did you come?"

"To tell you that Lissa won't give you a different guardian. She said she trusts Eddie with your safety."

"Damn it." She said. "Got another cigarette?"

"No, but if you want something stronger, I have some at my house."

"I think I might take you up on that offer sometime." She grabbed my arm and stopped me. "What about her?"

"She gets a replacement. But I don't know who yet. Lissa was meeting with Rose and Dimitri about it when I left."

She sighed and continued on. "When are we going?"

"A week from yesterday."

"Do you think it would upset my mom too much if I spent most of the week with you?"

"You're going to be with me for a month, kid. Spend some time with your mom. She's going to miss you."

"Okay." She sighed. "But can I take you up on that offer from earlier?"

I smiled and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "Better not. You're underage."

"At Court, there is no underage."

"That's not true. And just because you're the queen's sister doesn't mean you're above the law. In fact, you should really strive to follow all the rules."

She stopped me again. "I get it. Stop rambling."

I smiled. "Sorry. Go home. Spend time with your mom. I'll let you know more about the guardian situation."

She nodded and wrapped her arms around my waist. "I may use my key to sneak in after she goes to bed."

"I'll turn down the sheets in the guest room for you." I kissed her forehead and then stepped away. "Just don't make too much noise."

"I won't." She headed off toward her house nearer the center of Court and I turned in the opposite direction.

My phone rang as I let myself inside my apartment. It was Rose. "Yes?"

"I have the solution to your problem."

"It's not you, is it?"

"As bored as I get with Court life? No. There's even less to do in Utah. We're sending along another female, though. With the plans Sydney and Jill have to do wedding stuff, I'm sure it will be much less excruciating if there is another woman."

"So who is it?"

"My mother."

"Your mother? Are you serious?"

"No, of course not." She laughed. "She'd kick your ass. No, actually it's new guardian who just graduated. This will be her first official assignment, but Dimitri and I feel Eddie is a good mentor. And this should be a fairly easy assignment. Her name is Leah."

"Okay. Well that makes things a little better. I'd say keep your eyes out for Angeline when you actually dole out the assignment. I don't want Leah to fall to her wrath."

"Yeah, I don't either." She said shortly. "Anything else we can do for you?"

"No, I think I'm set."

"Okay, bye." She hung up.

I shook my head at the phone as I went about making myself something to eat.

I was awakened by the sound of the front door clicking shut. Then I heard Jill moving down the hall. She whispered, "Just me." as she passed.

I rolled over and started to doze off when my phone beeped with a text. I squinted at the screen. "Found you a couch."

I opened the text to see the picture and laughed out loud. It was a plaid couch very similar to the one I'd had in my apartment in Palm Springs.

A second text popped on the screen. "I'm sorry, I know you're asleep, but I saw it and couldn't resist sharing. Sweet dreams. Call when you wake up."

She never ended her texts with confessions of love. And I was usually the one to say it first. I suppose she was still scared that it was all a dream, just like I was. I sent a reply, "Get it. We made a lot of memories on the other one."

"Not a chance. No one really wants a plaid couch. I already got one for you anyway." She sent off a picture of a nice set of plain gray furniture.

"That's nice. Thanks. Beds?"

She sent another picture.

"Looks like I'm all set."

"Just need accessories."

"Okay. We'll be there in a week. Love you."

"I love you too. I can't wait to see you."

"Same here." I rolled over and went right back to sleep.

Adrian and the others were almost there according to Jill's text. I was exhausted. I'd worked a long day and then had supervised the unloading of a lot of Adrian's things into his new house. I helped a lot too. Some of his things were staying at his apartment at Court, but he'd sent ahead all the things he needed here. Everything was still in boxes. I thought about helping unpack everything, but decided it would be best if I let Adrian deal with that.

I stretched out on the couch and pulled the throw over me as I waited for him to arrive. I must have actually dozed off because I didn't hear the car pull into the drive. The knock jarred me.

"Sydney?" Adrian called.

I struggled off the couch stumbled to the door. "Sorry. I fell asleep."

"I expected to be here by now." He smoothed my hair down and then kissed me softly. "Hi."

"Hi." I said back, putting my hand on the back of his neck and pulling him back to me for another kiss.

Jill cleared her throat and we stepped apart. Jill and I shared a quick embrace. I nodded to the young woman standing beside her.

"This must be Leah." I said, holding out my hand. "Welcome to Utah. I'm Sydney."

She smiled kindly. "Nice to meet you, Sydney. They've told me everything about you."

Eddie appeared just as Adrian closed the door. "The perimeter looks clear."

"Good." I said. "Now come and say hello to me."

He chuckled and pulled me into a tight hug. "You sure have loosened up."

"I know. But we all got pretty close." I put a hand on Adrian's arm. "Thanks to this guy."

He smiled at me and then kissed my temple. "Show us around?"

"Sure." I handed him his keys and then walked around the house with the others trailing behind me and Adrian's hand in mine.

"You did well." He said as the tour concluded.

"Sorry I didn't make any of the beds."

"It's fine." He said. "Are you staying here or are you going home?"

"I'd like to not drive in my current state."

"I'd like that too." He kissed me and then led me out to his car to unload their suitcases.

Eddie joined us. "Leah is taking first watch tonight. I'm going to sleep for a few hours and then help her through the day. I feel like it would be easier to get into that rhythm. And she can go out with you easily in the day and be alert if she sleeps part of the night. We may switch off once I know she can do it completely."

"Sounds good." I said. "And you?"

"I'll be fine. I know how to go on little sleep if I need to."

I nodded. "Just know your limits."

"I do." He assured me, taking some of the bags out and heading inside.

Adrian and I went into his room and made his bed. Then he rummaged in his suitcase and handed me one of his shirts.

"Thanks." I took it and closed the door as I changed.

He started unpacking, cutting open boxes that had "Bedroom" written on them. "Would it bother you if I worked in here?"

"No. I don't think so. And tomorrow is my day off, so I can stay in bed long after six AM."

"So I can fall asleep with you?" He pulled me into his arms.

"Yes. Just as I'm waking up."

He rested his forehead against mine. "I'm going to go see that everyone is getting settled in. Make yourself comfortable. I'll be in and out all night. And I may come to bed early."

"You should come to bed early. You've been on the road for a long time. You must be so tired." I smiled seductively.

"And all I'll get from you is a cuddle. But I can handle that, I guess." He kissed me and then escorted me to the bed. He pulled the blanket down and I climbed in. He leaned over and kissed me softly. He turned out the light and then left the room.

I could hear him talking in the living room with Jill and Leah. I dozed off.

I woke up a short time later when a lamp was flipped on beside the bed.

"Sorry, honey." Adrian said softly. He kissed me as I rolled away.

I went back to sleep listening to him quietly unpacking his things.

Watching Sydney sleep without me was excruciating. After finishing one box of belongings, I kicked off my shoes and undressed. I bid Jill and Leah a good night and I climbed into bed with my fiancée.

Her eyes opened a fraction and then she wrapped her arm around me and went back to sleep.

I kissed her, wishing we had made better time so that I had a bit more time to greet her properly. But, of course, it would have been difficult with so many extra listeners.

It took me a while to fall asleep. I listened to the girls talking in the living room. They were getting along so well. I had to admit, Rose knew what worked.

I watched Sydney as she slept. She was relaxed, peaceful. I could see the faded lily tattoo on her cheek in the dark and I kissed it. I wish there was a way for it to go away completely, but there wasn't. At least now it was less visible.

She rolled to her back when I moved away. I draped an arm across her and moved close. I pressed my face into her neck, breathing her in. I felt her hand move up into my hair. And I fell asleep tangled lovingly in her arms.