It isn’t.
I watch the security team work, my arms crossed as they install the new motion sensors and perimeter alarms. The cabin itself is solid—reinforced doors, thick walls, small windows that limit entry points. Isolated. Defensible.
But the lake keeps me on edge. Too many variables. Too many blind spots. Water access is a security nightmare. Someone could approach by boat, slip in unnoticed. No fences, no walls. Just open space and deep, endless water. I don’t like it.
“The lake gives me bad vibes,” Zane mutters, coming up beside me. He watches the tree line with the same wary expression I feel etched onto my own face. “Hard to defend.”
“Exactly,” I grunt.
Still, it’s our best option. The last place was compromised. We needed to move fast, and this place was prepped and waiting. It’ll have to do.
I glance toward the cabin. Through one of the windows, I spot Mia inside, unpacking supplies in the kitchen. The girls are nowhere in sight, probably still asleep upstairs.
When I walk in, Asher is at the surveillance hub, fingers flying over the keyboard. It’s a small room right by the back door, reinforced but also good for a quick exit in case of emergencies, and also just to keep an eye on the property, especially the lake. “Perimeter alarms are almost done,” he reports casually. “And I set up a motion-sensor buoy in the water. It won’t stop someone from coming in, but at least we’ll know if they do.”
“Good.” I roll my shoulders, trying to shake the tension that’s settled deep in my bones. A week ago, it was a simple job–keep Mia and her daughters safe. But after everything that has transpired between us, I’m not sure what the hell it is anymore.
Zane goes out to the back porch, returning a few minutes later after securing the last motion sensor with a little more force than necessary.
“Did you go over that together?” I ask, looking between them.
Asher turns to look at me. “I think we have everything under control.”
They’re not even looking at each other, pretending everything is okay. Usually, Asher hums under his breath while he works, or makes some comment about upgrading our gear. Not today. Today, he’s dead silent.
I think I can point out the exact moment things went wrong. It was right after Asher announced he was leaving for Dubai.And I’m not exactly blind. I noticed how cold he’s been to the kids the last few days. I guess Zane noticed it too because right after,he said, “Good of you to inform us you were leaving in a week, asshole.”
Asher's brooding, and he’s not the only one. Zane is the same. They’ve worked together for years, reading each other in high-pressure situations without speaking. But now, it’s like they’re daring each other to snap first.
I lean against the door to the surveillance room. “You two gonna talk, or are we just accepting that this is the vibe now?”
Asher doesn’t look up. “We’re working.”
“Yeah. Some of us actually do that.”
There it is.
My gaze flicks between them as irritation rises in me. This isn’t the time for whatever this is.
“That supposed to mean something?” I demand.
“Nothing,” Zane mutters, but his jaw ticks as he moves past me into the house.
Asher exhales sharply and mutters, “Jesus, man.”
I sigh, watching Zane go. “You want to tell me what the hell that was about?” I ask Asher.
His jaw flexes. “Nope.”
“You’re pulling back, Zane’s pushing forward, and neither of you are talking about it. That about right?”
Asher huffs out a humorless laugh. “You think you have it all figured out, don’t you?”
“I think I know what I’m looking at,” I counter. “I get why you’re acting differently, but what’s Zane’s excuse? He’s not usually the type to get tangled in things that aren’t his problem.”
This isn’t just about Dubai, and all of us know that. The actual problem is currently upstairs.
Asher finally looks at me, something flickering in his gaze. “Maybe you should ask yourself the same question.”
