Laney looks up at me.
Her expression is calm.
But I can see the question behind it.
“Saint…”
“She’s not coming for you,” I say.
“She’s coming for control.”
Laney studies me for a moment.
“And what does that mean?”
“It means,” I reply quietly, “we stop pretending this is temporary.”
The words hang in the room.
Heavy.
Final.
I cross the room and kneel in front of her.
“Nothing changes about how you live,” I tell her gently.
“But everything changes about how we protect you.”
She nods slowly.
Brave.
Even though I can see the fear she’s trying to hide.
“I trust you,” she says.
The words land harder than any threat ever has.
Because now…
There’s no way I can fail her.
45
Miller
The man is very polite.
That’s what bothers me.
He stands inside what used to be my hardware store like he belongs there.
The roof is half gone. Charred beams stretch across the open space like broken ribs. Ash still coats the floor in places the cleanup crew hasn’t reached yet.
And there he is.
Clean coat.
