It makes sense, but it’s still hard to hand it over. Finally, I drop it into Hudson’s palm, and he pops out the SIM card. Marcus hands him a pair of scissors, and he snips it in half, then drops it into a drawer.
“Sorry, Willow. It’s the only way.”
It makes sense, but everything is happening so fast. I can’t get my eyes off Hudson as he and Marcus discuss burner phones and fake plates and backup teams. My head is spinning, and I feel like I’ve jumped from one world I don’t understand to another. I stare at Hudson and wonder who the hell he really is.
“And we need a safe place to stay.”
Marcus nods. “I’ve got a safe house,” he says, drawing my attention back to the conversation.
“A what? A safe house?” I’ve only ever heard about safe houses on television dramas. It’s where people go when they’re in witness protection or spies.
“We’ll need a place to hole up for a few days—or weeks. As long as it takes,” Hudson says.
“As long as it takes for what?”
“The Street Kings must have someone in office if they were able to find out where you were. We’ll figure out how to neutralize the threat through the legal means, but it might take some time. In the meantime, your instinct was right. You need to disappear.”
“But what about Tyler?” I can’t disappear and leave him to be found.
Hudson squeezes my arm again. “Marcus will put a team on it. It’s unlikely they’ve found him yet, or they would’ve said. We’ll get him before they do.”
My mouth goes dry. About now, the Street Kings will be realizing I’m not showing up, and they’ll go for the one thing they know will hurt the most—my brother.
“I can’t just do nothing. I have to find him.”
Hudson sits back in his chair and eyes me. “And how will you do that?”
I press my lips together. He’s right again. I have no way of knowing where he is. With no place to start but the bus station he left from three months ago.
I slump in my chair, expecting Hudson to say I told you so, but instead, he leans forward and squeezes my arm. “We’ll find your brother, Willow.”
Across the desk, Marcus rustles in a drawer and holds up a set of keys. “I’ve got just the place for the two of you. It’s in the mountains, and it’s secluded.”
Hudson snatches the keys from his hand. “Perfect. Can you explain to Joel that something’s come up, and I’ll be gone for a while? The crew know what they’re doing.”
“Wait, what? Who’s going to the safe house?” I’m struggling to keep up with the plans.
Hudson turns to me, and his expression is determined. “I’m not letting you go up there alone, Willow. I’m coming with you.”
My stomach does a double flip. I barely know this man, and he’s putting his entire life on pause to help me hide. “You can’t do that. What about the center?”
He grins, and a shiver runs down my spine. It’s the first time I’ve seen him smile.
“Trust me, this is much more exciting than babysitting a work crew.”
Marcus snorts out a laugh. “Been missing the missions, bro?”
Hudson shakes his head. “Every day.”
“Right, let’s talk protection.”
The start up a conversation about laser sensors and satellite dishes and firearms. But my head’s spinning because there’s too much to follow. I’ve somehow gone from running away with no plan to being dropped into some military-grade secret mission.
Hudson is lit up like this is what he was made for, and suddenly, it dawns on me.
“You weren’t just a regular Navy guy, were you?”
He and Marcus share a look before Hudson turns back to me. “I’m an ex-Navy SEAL, and I’m at your disposal. Here to serve.”
