"Officer Brody was put on administrative leave pending an investigation. I wasn't privy to the results of the investigation, but they gave him a choice. Resign or get fired. He resigned."
"He did say Atkins had destroyed his life."
"I'll believe that when I have proof. Until then, we treat anyone not one of us as hostile."
Yeah, I was pretty much already doing that. My trust in people hadn't been that good before I'd been taken. It was at an all-time low right now. I pretty much assumed anyone not a member of the geek squad, or related in some manner to the geek squad, was working for Atkins.
It was a sad way to be, but I had good reason for my apprehension.
"Can we go?" I wanted out of that small motel room. It felt almost claustrophobic, especially with Jack just standing there glaring at me with his arms crossed and a sour expression on his face. If I didn't know better, I'd swear the man was really worried…or constipated. I was going with constipated because I was absolutely positive he wasn't worried about me.
You had to care to be worried.
I kept the blanket wrapped firmly around me as Ian helped me off the bed. I had to hold on to him when it became quickly apparent I was unsteady on my feet. It was slow going out to the car, but once I was seated inside and we were under way, leaving that awful retro wannabe motel behind, I felt so much better.
I could breathe.
"He's not going to stop until he has Danny or he's dead," I said absently. "I don't think he knows about the rest of us, but if he finds out, none of us will be safe."
After seeing firsthand what Atkins was capable of, I wasn't sure any of us were safe now. He'd had no guilty feelings whatsoever about kidnapping and torturing me. I shuddered to think of what he would do with Danny.
I glanced at Ian, who sat next to me. Hank was driving and Jack was in the front passenger seat. "You're sure Danny is safe?"
Ian smiled at me as he patted my hand. "He is, Kaito. I promise."
As much as I trusted Ian—and I trusted him with my life—I didn't think I'd actually believe Danny was safe until I saw him with my own eyes.
I leaned my head back against the back of the seat and took a deep breath. When I glanced forward, I saw Jack watching me from the front seat. I stared at him for a moment before turning my head to look out the window.
I didn't see a damn thing.
I wanted it to be Jack sitting back here offering me comfort and a shoulder to cry on. I knew that would never happen. He'd made his position more than clear, and I'd done the same. Jack didn't want me for more than a fuck, and I had to learn to live with that.
I really needed to go home.
Chapter Nine
I almost cried when we pulled into the driveway of Ian and Hank's house. I never thought I'd be so glad to see the place. It was just a bunch of walls and a roof, but damn, it looked good. The one next door to it looked even better.
I knew I needed to give serious consideration to whether I was going to buy the place from Ian and Hank or not. Things had changed.
I had changed.
I was no longer the man I'd been five days ago. My ability to trust was almost nonexistent as was my ability to believe in the future. I didn't want to think about what tomorrow might bring. I needed to concentrate on today…tonight. I needed to not be terrified someone would come for me to torture me.
I doubted I'd sleep. Besides the fact that I couldn't close my eyes without reliving the things Atkins had put me through, my fear of it happening again kept me on the edge, hyper vigilant. That shoe I was waiting to drop was as big as a bus.
I was a little more steady on my feet, but Ian still kept an arm around me as we climbed out of the vehicle and walked up the steps to his front door. Before I stepped inside, I cast a quick look up and down the street.
Were they there?
Were they waiting for me?
I swallowed tightly when I didn't see anything and turned to walk into the house. A soft cry fell from my lips when I saw Danny sitting on the couch with Abe. He was leaning into the bigger man, and Abe's arm was wrapped around him.
"Danny."
I ran toward him as best as I could on my wobbly legs. Danny was standing with open arms by the time I reached him. Tears dripped from my eyes as I grabbed him and hugged him as tight as I could.
