Tristan had scrambled to his feet, crouching back down to press a final kiss to Colby’s lips. “I’m going to get us breakfast,” he said. “I’mstarving.”
And now Colby was lying under the soft, warm comforter that still bore Tristan’s scent, smiling up at the rafters and very carefully not thinking beyond breakfast.
His first clue was the whinny of a horse somewhere in the barn, and then he heard footsteps, light but positive. Karl, he guessed—a man confident in himself, who knew how to walk without being easily heard.
The bolt was pulled back and Karl opened the door, gaze sweeping over the stall. His nostrils flared faintly, scouting the air, and one eyebrow rose, just barely. It was the most expressive Colby had seen him.
He recovered instantly and was all business again. “Boss wants to see you.”
Like before, Colby was taken through the kitchen—empty, he noted, wondering if they’d gotten Tristan out of the way beforehand—and along the hallway toward the dark door at the end of the corridor. But unlike before, something in Colby rebelled. Last time, he hadn’t had much to lose—at least, nothing he valued. Just his life. Now, he had so much to live for, and whether he’d be able to do so or not was out of his hands.
Karl closed the door behind him, leaving him alone with Matt Urban, who was standing with his back to the window. His arms were folded, his shoulders braced, giving the impression he was weighing a hundred things at once. Colby dipped his head in acknowledgement, then stood, waitingfor judgment.
Finally, Urban spoke. “I’ve spent most of the night thinking about what to do with you.”
Colby swallowed and held himself still. He wouldn’t give Urban the satisfaction of showing fear.
“I checked your story. Names. Timeline. Topography.” He gave a small nod. “It holds up.”
A rush of relief loosened something in Colby’s chest, but only until Urban’s next words.
“Here’s the thing,” Urban said. “I believe you told me the truth. I believe you helped Tristan escape, and that you risked yourself to do it. But I also believe that letting you go would be reckless—for you, and for us.”
Colby shifted his weight. He knew he was giving away his nervousness, but he couldn’t help it. When Urban said nothing more, he cleared his throat and croaked out the all-important question that Urban had so carefully avoided. “What does that mean?”
Urban’s eyes didn’t waver. “It means I’m asking you to stay. On a short leash, for now.”
Colby’s mouth dried, and when he tried to swallow, his throat clicked.
“You’re not a prisoner,” Urban said firmly, catching his flicker of panic. “I’m not locking you in the barn again. We’ll sort out some clothes that actually fit you, boots too,” he added, eyes moving over Colby. “But you’re going to keep your head down, and you’re going to understand that some of my pack won’t be ready to welcome you.”
He stepped closer. “If I put you on a bus out of town right now, someone like Nico might be waiting. And honestly? You’ve seen too much of how we work for me to let you fall into the wrong hands.”
Terror flared at the thought of Nico waiting for him, but Colby fought it down. It resisted hard, until he remembered Nicocouldn’t get him here. Not under Urban’s roof. And although Nico would have raged at Colby’s betrayal, now that Colby was out of his reach, he’d forget about him soon enough.
But his stomach was still churning. This felt too much like before. He couldn’t. He justcouldn’tbe another pack’s prisoner. Not after Nico.
“What if I say no?” It came out hoarsely.
“Then I’ll give you a ride to town myself,” Urban said quietly. “I won’t keep someone here against their will. But you’ll be walking into danger, and you’ll be doing it without Tristan.”
Colby flinched.
Urban saw it. “I’m not using him to manipulate you. I’m trying to protect him, too. He’s not thinking straight right now. And that’s not your fault, but it’s my job to make sure he stays safe—physically and emotionally.”
Silence fell between them. Urban had no idea of Tristan’s incredible offer to leave with Colby, but it was clear he’d never let it happen. And Colby wasn’t sure if he could let Tristan do that. Not for him. Not when, sooner or later, Tristan would discover the truth of Colby and would spend the rest of his life regretting his choice.
But hearing Urban say he could leave…The strangest thing of all was that Colby almost believed he was telling the truth. It was the same thing that had thrown him off balance earlier, when Tristan had called himmatelike it meant something sacred instead of something earned. No manipulation and no price to pay.
That was the real difference, he realized. It wasn’t that Urban or Tristan didn’t have power. It was that they weren’t using it against him. Not yet.
Urban’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. “You want to prove I was right to believe you? Stick around and work withus. Keep being the guy who got an innocent youngster out of a hellhole, even when he didn’t owe him a damn thing.”
Colby looked down, clenching his jaw. He thought about leaving here, which meant leaving Tristan, and he didn’t want to go.
But to stay, effectively to be a prisoner? Again?
And then Urban did something unexpected. He offered his hand.
