When I retreat to my room, he follows me, catching my wrist. “Sleep in my bed tonight.” It’s not as much an order as a plea. I’m not sure if he’s asking for my sake or his and I don’t care.
“Okay.” He pulls me into a long silent hug before returning to the living room.
The dress is still on my bedroom floor. I scoop it into the box, intending to shove it in the back of the closet. When I open the door, I notice a picture frame leaning up against the far wall, facing away. I turn it to see a photo of a younger Lee, incredibly handsome in a tux alongside a beautiful blonde ina white wedding dress. He doesn’t keep pictures of her around the house, so this is the first time I’ve seen Isla. She’s looking at the camera but he’s looking at her like she’s the only thing in the world.
I turn it to face the wall again and put the dress in the back of the closet with it, hoping out of sight will mean out of mind, especially for Lee.
CHAPTER 18
LEE
She’s still here.It’s my first thought before my eyes open when I feel her weight on my chest. Silver knows everything and she’s wrapped around me, sleeping peacefully. My worst fear was that she’d be afraid of me or disgusted by the things I’ve done. She took the news better than I could’ve hoped.
Silver rests with her head on my chest, her hand splayed on my stomach. I run my fingers through her hair, savoring a moment that feels like the eye of a storm. Bad shit has happened and it isn’t over. It’s likely to get worse before it gets better, but I won’t let anything happen to her.
All I want to do is stay here with her in this bed but there’s a lot I have to do today. Justus is coming to stay, and we’ve arranged for two more guys from his In Safe Hands group to stay at the hotel and switch off watching over Lacey. Tucker is an ex-military man, and Dare is an ex-con. Neitherare people you want to cross. They won’t let her out of their sight.
I also have to call Lacey to explain it to her. I hate to scare her but there’s no other alternative unless she stays here too. They’ve kept her out of it so far and I don’t want to drag her in when they may not intend to. Landon is running the facial recognition program, and we could get an answer from that anytime. I have to get moving.
Silver stirs as I slip out of bed, but she doesn’t open her eyes. When I pull some clothes out of my dresser and strip out of my boxers, I look up to see her watching me. It freezes me in place for a moment. Is she going to feel the same way today after my confession has had time to sink in? Is she rethinking how safe she is here and planning to leave? I wish I could read her mind.
“I can’t decide what’s more unfair,” she says, her voice husky from sleep. “That you have an ass like that or that you’re teasing me with it.”
Okay, maybe we’re good.
If I touch her, we won’t get out of this room. “You can claw it up later.”
She chuckles and sits up as I put my clothes on. “Are you going somewhere?”
“No, I’m not leaving you alone until I figure out who’s doing this. Justus and Landon will be here this evening.”
“I’ll bet Landon likes this time of year when it gets dark early,” she remarks as if none of this is a big deal. Throwing the covers off, she scoots out of bed. “I’m going to make pancakes.”
If she’s worried or stressed as the day passes, she doesn’t show it. She makes breakfast, does her laundry, and lounges around the house. She spends over half an hour taking what she calls an everything shower while I talk to Lacey on the phone.
Lacey’s worried of course, but not as alarmed as I thought she might be. The only thing I tell her is that someone’s sending me texts about Isla’s remains, that it’s likely someone from my vigilante days, and that I want to be extra cautious until I figure out who it is. She isn’t happy about having a bodyguard and insists they only watch from outside her apartment, but she agrees. She doesn’t want her boyfriend or Trinity to know because that would be embarrassing. Leave it to my little sister to be embarrassed by being in danger.
Her request is fine with Dare and Tucker. They’re going to meet her when she leaves work today to introduce themselves so she'll know what they and their vehicle look like.
Landon walks over from the cabin with his laptop as soon as it’s dark, and Justus arrives right after him. Justus has been back and forth between Indianapolis a few times, but the drive is harder for Landon when he can only be out at night, which is why the cabin was a wiser choice.
Silver leans against the kitchen counter talking to Landon when I let Justus in. Justus beams at Silver as I introduce them. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you all day. Really excited.”
Silver blinks at him. “Really?”
He tips his chin at Landon. “Yes, it’s an honor to meet thewoman who kicked Landon’s ass. I totally understand the impulse, believe me.”
A smile darts across her face and she tries to hide it by taking a sip of her drink.
“For fuck’s sake, she didn’t kick my ass,” Landon says.
Silver glances at Justus. “I apologized.” Then she regards Landon. “I said I was sorry.”
Landon nods, smiling in return. “I know. We’re good.”
“If you didn’t kick his ass, what did you apologize for?” Justus teases.
“For elbowing him in the jaw when he startled me. And I might’ve stomped on his foot.”
