Levi carries me across the cold grass, careful not to jostle me. The outbuilding stands at the edge of the yard, half-hidden by overgrown shrubs and the last traces of twilight. I can hear Marcy’s footsteps behind us, with Jace and Nico following behind her.
As we reach the outbuilding, Levi nudges the door open with his shoulder and steps inside. The small space smells faintly of cedar and dust, the shadows deep but familiar. Levi sets me down gently, and my cheeks warm as a memory flashes through my mind—the last time I was here, tangled up with the three of them, breathless and desperate for more. I try not to look too closely, but a torn scrap of pale fabric in the corner catches my eye—my old panties, abandoned in the rush of that night.
I look away quickly, heart fluttering for reasons I can’t name.
Jace and Levi move around the small space, grabbing old blankets and couch cushions from the shelves and corners. Nico finds an old couch pushed against the far wall and helps lay everything out, making a soft, lumpy bed in the middle of the room.
“Here,” Levi says, patting the makeshift nest. “Get comfortable. You need to rest.”
Jace brings over a battered pillow, tucking it behind my back. Marcy curls up at my side, her head resting on my shoulder, the two of us clinging to each other for comfort. The guys settle nearby, eyes alert but trying to keep things calm.
I lie on the couch, eyes wide open in the dark, Marcy curled up beside me, already breathing slow and deep. Sleep won’t come, no matter how hard I try to shut out the day. Every sound outside makes me tense. Every time I close my eyes, I see the lights from the window, or Rodriguez’s car, or Jinn’s cold stare.
Levi is close, stretched out on the floor next to the couch, his head propped on a rolled-up jacket. I can feel him watching me in the dim light. After a while, I give up pretending.
“You awake?” I whisper, barely louder than the breeze outside.
He turns his head, voice soft. “Yeah. Too much on my mind, I guess.”
I shift, careful not to wake Marcy, and stare at the ceiling. “Are you scared?” My voice is small, but I don’t try to hide it.
Levi’s quiet a long moment before answering. “Yeah, I am. We’ve never been up against someone like Rodriguez before. He’s got the law on his side—and too many people looking the other way.”
I nod, biting my lip. “I keep thinking about the baby. What happens if something goes wrong? What if we can’t run anymore, or we get caught, or…” I trail off, my heart thudding in my chest.
Levi pushes himself up so we’re almost face-to-face, his eyes steady on mine. “Hey. I can’t promise anything, but I do know this—we’ll keep you safe. All of us. No matter what.”
I swallow hard, tears pricking my eyes. “Sometimes I wonder how I’m supposed to do this.”
Levi squeezes my hand a little tighter. “Your baby’s going to have us. All of us. We’re going to get through this, Carrie. I swear it.”
His words wrap around my fear, quieting it for the first time in days. I squeeze back, blinking away tears I don’t want him to see.
Somewhere in the dark, Marcy shifts and sighs, settling deeper into sleep. Levi doesn’t move from the floor. He just stays close, his presence steady and calm.
It’s the last thing I remember before sleep finally claims me.
When I wake,pale light is creeping through the cracks in the boards. Marcy is still asleep, but Levi hasn’t moved far—he’s still beside me on the floor, our hands still joined. My palm is warm in his, and for a moment, nothing else matters.
Jace sits up, his ears almost perking up.
“What?”
“Someone’s coming,” he says, up in an instant. Even Nico opens his eyes and sits up.
Jace looks out the window and his stance relaxes. “It’s Whale.”
The door swings open and Whale steps inside, balancing a cardboard tray full of steaming coffee cups and, tucked to one side, a little paper cup of green tea.
“Morning,” he grumbles, setting the tray on the makeshift table. “Cops showed up at the clubhouse. Asking questions. That Rodriguez guy was with them too. Looks like they’ve set up base in town.”
I sit up, pulse fluttering. “Oh no.”
Whale hands me the green tea and gives me a wink. “Don’t worry, I don’t think they’ll bother with the back lot. Not after I threatened to shoot them for trespassing on private property.”
Levi sits up, rubbing his eyes, grinning. “You said that to a government agent?”
Whale shrugs, grabbing his own coffee. “Funny thing—he said the same thing right back.”
