Three days later, agents return. Not the same crew. These are men in suits who speak in careful tones. They look like they need coffee.
They set up at the long dining table and spend the greater part of a day questioning me.
Atlas stays in the room the entire time, and so does Grizz, whose arm is in a sling. I’m sure he’d prefer to pace the floor, but thanks to his cracked ribs, he’s forced to mostly sit. When I’m not being questioned, he allows me to bring him fresh ice packs without telling me he doesn’t need them.
Viper is nearby most of the time, too. He splits his attention between my testimony and the invisible threat he may never stop tracking.
The agent’s questions are never-ending. I have to go over the same territory countless times from every direction, relaying every little thing I can remember about names, conversations, and timelines. I understand the importance of it, but spending hours talking about my former life makes my stomach ill.
When we’re already hours into the process, one of the agents looks at me from across his coffee cup that Atlas frequently refills. “Your testimony matters, but it appears that Vaughn will be cooperating.”
“Cooperating?” I’d been imagining him behind bars, still ranting and raving.
“In exchange for a reduced sentence,” the agent says evenly. “He has all the information we need to dismantle the network.”
“So he gets to trade other people’s lives for his own freedom?”
The agent doesn’t even flinch. “He’ll still go away, but he’ll be offered a deal. The upside for you is that it strengthens the prosecution and reduces the chance of retaliation, because his testimony will take down the infrastructure around him.”
I try to process what this all means for my future.
“Your input is still critical, however.”
I swallow hard and glance downat my rounded belly.
“You’ll be protected,” the agent says in a softer tone. “There are options for relocation, if necessary.”
My men do their silent communication thing, and I’m learning to read it now, too.Only if we have to,their eyes say.
I’m fairly certain I’d feel at home anywhere as long as I’m with the three of them, but they are as much a part of this mountain as the pine trees and the snow, and it’s a part of each of them.
Based on my brief visits to town, I like Moon Ridge a lot, too.
I don’t want to have to disappear again.
CHAPTER 49
KIRA
The next time we go into Moon Ridge, things seem different. The town hasn’t changed, but I have.
I don’t have to wear the wig anymore. My own hair is pulled back in a loose braid, the way I’ve been wearing it lately. In the mirror, my face seems more relaxed. Despite the difficulties that lie ahead, I’m happy.
How could I not be?
Even though it’s not yet time for another prenatal checkup, Andrew insists I get checked out, reminding me of the doctor’s warnings about how stress can impact the baby. I can’t deny that my stress levels were off the charts recently.
At the clinic, all three men accompany me into the exam room. Dr. Navarro, bless her, doesn’t even lift an eyebrow.
Andrew asks all sorts of practical questions about the last trimester and what to expect when it comes time for the delivery. Boyd holds my hand when he thinks I’m nervous, and Silas is silent but observant, taking it all in whileseeming like he isn’t listening. If I forget anything the doctor tells us, I know Silas will have everything cataloged in his mind.
To the men’s relief, my vitals, and the baby’s, are within normal ranges.
To Boyd’s dismay, the doctor insists on a two-for-one visit and takes the opportunity to check on how his wounds are healing. Tomyrelief, he also receives positive feedback.
After the visit, the four of us walk down the street toward the center of town. It’s a cold day, but the bright sunlight makes it pleasant. Being surrounded by my men makes it positively cozy.
I’m a bit of the odd person out, because all three of them are proudly wearing the scarves I crocheted for them. Each is a different color—blue-gray for Andrew, forest green for Boyd, and charcoal gray for Silas—but they all feature a wide stripe at one end that combines all three colors along with some purple. Next to the wide stripe, there’s a much thinner one woven in pink to represent the baby.
