After the meeting with Phelan and how badly it had gone wrong, I wasn’t eager to meet with someone else. But assuming this was really from Harris Medina, the head of Crosshairs Security, it had to be important.
And the location was no accident. He’d chosen Last Refuge, a place with a serious security presence of its own. A place where I felt completely safe.
“I’m going to check over the car,” Dean said. “Make sure they didn’t mess with it.”
“That wouldn’t make sense. Medina wants to talk. Maybe we’ll finally get some real answers, and we can do it on our turf.” Even if Dean and I weren’t Protectors, I knew Trace and Aiden and the others would be on our side. Always. If thiswas a trap, Crosshairs would encounter serious armed resistance. Medina had to know that too.
“And if Medina was behind your attack all along?” Dean asked.
“No. I don’t think it was him. There’s a lot we don’t know, but I’m pretty sure of that.”
“Keira—”
“I’ll explain everything. But I think we should take Owen’s suggestion and get a room at Last Refuge. At least for tonight. We won’t have to worry about anyone following us to your house.”
Dean seemed to think about it, and then his lips curved in a half-smile. “You’re the one driving. I’m just riding shotgun. I go where you go.”
I tried to smile back, but it felt like another lie.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Dean
Jessi heldup a pair of jeans and a soft, silky top. “Will this work? These jeans are short on me, so they should be okay for Keira.”
I stood just inside the hotel room, while Jessi was on the other side of the threshold in the hall. Her little girl, Zoe, peeked out from behind her mom.
“Uh, yeah. I assume so. Thanks.” I waved at Zoe, whose big eyes disappeared as she hid behind Jessi’s legs.
“And these are Aiden’s. They should fit you.”
“Appreciate it.” I took the clothes from her.
“Let me know if you or Keira need anything else?”
“Thanks, Jessi. I think we’re good.”
She picked up Zoe, kissing the girl on the head, and then hesitated. “I didn’t mention it last night, since you were both tired, but if you want to talk to Trace or Aiden, they’re around. They’re worried about Keira. We all have been.”
“I’ll mention that to her.” Though I doubted she would take Jessi up on the offer. Keira wasn’t too eager for help from the Protectors, aside from River, and he was still in Denver with his wife.
When we’d shown up last night, Jessi had found us a room. They always kept a few open at the inn for last-minute needs. Everyone had already heard about the podcaster who’d been shot and how I’d killed the shooter. And about the likely ties to Keira’s attack several months ago.
There were a lot of questions and rumors swirling around.
Since Donny Phelan was famous in some circles, media requests had been coming in on Keira’s phone and mine. We’d been ignoring them. Good thing I didn’t waste my time on social media platforms, so I didn’t have to worry about that.
The media interest would die down soon. I wasn’t thrilled about having my name out there, but any threads between me and my former career were pretty tenuous at this point. Apart from the basic facts of my military service, the government had scrubbed the rest clean a long time ago.
As for the meeting today with Harris Medina and what he might reveal, well…we’d just have to see. Interesting that he wanted to meet in public right here at the home of the Protectors. If he’d wanted something more secretive, I wouldn’t have been comfortable with that after yesterday’s mess with Phelan.
After saying goodbye to Jessi and Zoe, I changed into the borrowed jeans and a fresh tee, courtesy of Aiden. Then set the clothes for Keira on the bed. She’d been showering before, but now the water was off.
When Keira stepped out with a towel around her, I crossed the room and rested my hands on her arms. I always felt compelled to touch her, but that urge was especially bad after what happened yesterday.
I kissed Keira’s damp forehead. “Jessi brought clothes for you.”
“Sweet of her.”
