"How do you even know?—"
"Because that's my job. I work for Lone Star Security. We've been monitoring the situation for the Texas Land Fraud and Environmental Crimes Task Force. Lucas's name came up. So did yours."
The whole world tilted sideways. "Mine?"
"You're leverage, Marisol. If they need Lucas to stay quiet, the easiest way to make that happen is to use you."
I stood, my hands shaking. "This doesn’t make sense. I don't have any idea what you’re talking about. Stuff like this doesn't happen to people like me."
He sighed like he was sorry to have to be the one to bring me up to speed. "It's happening anyway."
I wanted to argue. Wanted to tell him he was wrong, that he was paranoid, that I didn't need some cowboy with a badge showing up at my job and turning my life upside down. But the look in his eyes stopped me. He believed every word he was saying.
"What do I need to do?" I whispered.
"I've been assigned to protect you."
"Like a bodyguard?"
"Close protection. I'll be monitoring your movements, checking in regularly, making sure no one gets close.
I sat down again before my legs gave out. "For how long?"
"Until the task force has what they need to shut Red Rock down."
“But I have to work. And what about school? And Lucas? I can't just?—"
"You don't have to do anything different. I'll stay out of your way as much as I can. But I'll be there. Lucas will have an agent assigned to him too. We’ll keep the two of you safe.”
I looked at him, and something twisted deep inside my chest. He was doing this because it was his job. Because someone had told him to. Not because he cared. Except... he'd been fixing things around my house for weeks. Watching over us in that quiet, unobtrusive way of his. Maybe this wasn't as sudden as it seemed.
"And if I say no?" I asked.
"Then I'll still be there. But it'll be harder to keep you safe if you're fighting me the whole time.”
I wanted to be angry. Wanted to rage against the unfairness of it all. But all I felt was tired.
“Fine,” I mumbled.
He nodded. "I'll wait until the end of your shift and follow you home."
I wasn’t sure how I made it through the rest of the day. Lucas didn’t respond to any of my texts and my nerves were shot. By the time I finally left, it was after dark. I insisted on driving myself, but I could see Caleb’s truck in my rearview mirror the whole way. It should have been comforting. Instead, it made my skin crawl.
When I pulled into my driveway, Caleb parked across the street and walked over. He didn't ask permission. Just moved around my property like he was cataloging every detail from the overgrown bushes to the broken trellis.
"Do you always do this?" I asked, hands on my hips like he owed me answers.
"Do what?"
"Make people feel like they're living in a fishbowl."
His mouth twitched but didn’t form a smile. "Only the ones I'm trying to keep alive."
I unlocked my front door and stepped inside. The house suddenly felt exposed. Like someone had pulled back a curtain I hadn't realized was there.
"Lucas isn't home yet.” I glanced at the clock. He should have been home over an hour ago. “I thought you said someone was going to be watching him.”
Caleb's expression didn't change, but he pulled out his phone. “Let me check on it.”
