I hate myself for not being there to tear Willard’s hands off the wheel. To tear him into pieces.
I hate myself for putting them in danger like this.
When Keller calls, I snatch the phone so hard it nearly cracks. “Talk.”
“They’re safe.”
The breath I’ve been holding rips out of me. “You’re sure?” My voice comes out sharper than I mean.
“I wouldn’t be calling if I wasn’t,” Keller says evenly. “Agent Jones intercepted them at the fair, got them out clean. No incident. They’re on their way to Cole’s now. Willard didn’t push it.”
Safe.The word lands, but it doesn’t stick. Because safe today doesn’t mean safe tomorrow. Not with Willard circling.
And the truth is, I don’t just want Cole safe. I want him free.
Free from Willard, from fear, from every damn secret I’ve wrapped around us like barbed wire.
My eyes close. Relief hits fast, dizzying. But it’s gone just as quick, swallowed by the slow burn of rage.
“He threatened them, Keller. At the garage. Said Noah’s name.” My voice drops low, dangerous. “He made it personal.”
“I know.”
“I should’ve taken him out at the start.”
“No,” Keller cuts in. “Not your call. Not your timing. And Bailey? You won’t do a damn thing outside protocol,” he snaps. “We have a good plan. We follow it. Got it?” I force the air in slowly, controlled.
“Bailey. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” I grind out.
“Good.” A pause, softer now: “We’ll get them through this. You know that.”
The line clicks dead. I stand in the silence, fists clenched.
They’re safe for now. But Willard knows. Which means the others know too.
This doesn’t end later.
It ends soon.
Now.
COLE
After a quick shower, I check on Noah. He’s fast asleep, curled up next to Dinosaur the Dog, the faithful T-Rex having a well-earned rest on the pillow. His cheeks are pink from all the excitement at the fair.
This time I can honestly say I had even more excitement than him.
Kate’s in the kitchen making tea when I come downstairs. She gives me one of those calm, unshakable smiles I’m starting to suspect is part of SBI training. Because Kate is not, in fact, my second cousin from Mom’s side.
She’s an agent working under Xaden’s supervisor, Agent Keller.
“Did you know your cereal has more sugar than fiber?” she murmurs, holding up Noah’s cornflake box like it’s classified intel.
“Should you really be commenting on things like that?” I mutter, a little sullen. Kate just smiles like I’m the four-year-old in this house and not the allegedly grown man.
I start loading the dishwasher — yes, a bit haphazardly. I’m nervous she’ll judge my cutlery arrangement too, like my entire domestic life is suddenly under review.
