“I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” Trevor ruffled his hair with a half smile sitting on his lips. “Why don’t you wait with Aunt Eden and Seraphina in your bedroom for now, yeah? I don’t want you back in the safe room unless you have to be, but we need you close to it in case this flares up again.”
This?Another attack? Was that in the realm of possibility?
I reached for Chase’s hand, unable to help the tremor in mine. “There are windows in his bedroom.” Fear had rewired everything inside me, and I’d be stuck in overprotective mode for as long as any threats loomed.
Trevor’s jaw flexed. “Bullet-resistant glass throughout the place. Blast protection, too. Same stuff the DOD uses. They’ll be safe in his bedroom.”
“You really did overprepare for the just-in-case worst-case scenario, huh?” I murmured. “Thank you for that.”
He lifted one shoulder in a modest shrug. “Eden, can you take them to his room? We’ll catch up with you in a minute.” His eyes cut to Seraphina next. “Ryder will be upstairs soon to check on you, I’m sure, but he’s getting a little antsy.”
“Waiting on Alex to come back?” I asked him.
Trevor’s eyes darted to Chase, who was watching him closely. “Ryder will go after him if he, uh ...” He didn’t finish his sentence.Not with Chase’s blue eyes pointed at him in anticipation of his father delivering only good news.
Yeah, well, I’d like some good news myself, please.
“How about you show me your room?” Seraphina took hold of Chase’s hand, coming in for the save. “I bet you have some LEGOs on display in there.”
“Thank you.” I forced my fingers to unclench as I let go of Chase’s hand.
I waited until the three of them had slipped into Chase’s room out of sight before I backed up against the wall and dropped my face into my hands.
The dam cracked. Every ounce of control I’d clung to bled out in a silent quake through my chest. I was nowhere near okay. Heck, I didn’t even know what okay looked like anymore.
“Hey, now.” Trevor took my wrists, gently prying my hands from my face. “You know I’m not going to let anything happen to you. That man hurt you before.” His eyes became watery with the kind of emotion he’d never shed when we were married. “I willnotlet him do it again. Not even from the grave. You hear me?”
My shoulders jerked as I fought back the sob trying to break free. All I could do was nod. Because the second I talked, tears would flow, too.
I had to pull myself together, shake the fear still wrapped like vines around my lungs, stealing my breath. For everyone. Most of all, for Chase.
I had to have faith that everything would be okay. You know, whateverokaystill meant. That word was being redefined by the second.
Trevor’s jaw tensed as he dropped my wrists and walked back a step, running a hand through his hair.
“Hey!” Ryder’s voice snapped down the hallway, slicing through the tension.
My heart stopped, then kicked back to life again.
“Alex made contact,” he continued, his rifle slung across his body. “He’s on his way to the lodge. He has someone with him for questioning.”
I didn’t think, just moved.
Relief surged through my chest so hard my knees buckled, forcing me to use the wall in the hall to guide me to my brother so I wouldn’t collapse.
I walked straight into his arms and clung to him the way Chase had to me in the safe room. I ignored the cold metal of the rifle wedged between us.
Ryder exhaled sharply, holding me for a few long breaths as Trevor said, “Tell Alex to take the guy there.”
“I’m going, too.” I pulled back from Ryder, swiping at my tears with my sleeves.
“No, I don’t want you running around this place when we have no clue if another team may strike,” Ryder said firmly. “Stay with your son.”
“I just have to see him.” I sidestepped my brother in a hurry to confirm for myself that Alex was okay after risking his life.
“Wait, hold up!” Ryder called out. “Keep on the lookout up here,” he added, probably to Trevor while in pursuit of me.
I made it to the bottom step before he caught up with me.
