Xavier pushed the door open and let her inside. “Come on, let’s get you settled.”
“You want some tea?”
“I’ll make it,” he replied, guiding her to the small couch in her living room. “You sit down.”
She sank into the seat and stole a glance toward the window opposite her. Outside, it seemed as though everything was quiet and still, but she wasn’t sure she could believe that. After the fire and then being run off the road, she wasn’t sure if she would ever feel safe and secure at Warrior Peak again.
The nagging unease tugged at her stomach, and she tried to ignore it, focusing on the sound of Xavier in the kitchen behind her. As long as he was there with her, everything was going to be all right.
She was sure of it. Right?
Chapter Thirteen
“Here you go.” Xavier handed Hannah a cup of hot chamomile tea as he took a seat next to her on the couch. He took a moment to look her over again, battling both fear and anger at her being caught up in whatever this mess was with him.
It was bad enough that it had started at the lodge, threatening their peace and safety. But then to drag Hannah into it as well, and try to kill them both… He still didn’t know if it was coincidence that she happened to be with him when they were run off the road, or if whoever had done this had specifically targeted them both.
She looked a little better since her shower and fresh clothes but fatigue was pulling at her hard, and he could still see the anxiety lurking behind her gaze and the dark circles under her eyes. He was so thankful that they had made it out mostly unscathed. But his eyes caught on the bandage on her forehead and grimaced.
“Does it hurt?” he asked, raising his hand to brush back the hair from her face.
She shook her head. “Not really.”
He frowned. She was likely just saying that to keep him from worrying about her. It looked as though it must hurt like hell.
“It’s not your fault, Xavier,” she reminded him, clearly noticing whatever look was on his face.
He knew she was right, of course, but that didn’t stop him from feeling guilty about it. He should have done more to protecther. The fact that she was injured because he hadn’t been able to keep her safe didn’t sit well with him.
Xavier couldn’t help but worry what would happen next. What else would these people try? The thought of it worried him more than he could express.
He was more determined than ever to find out what was going on. He was going to track down whoever was responsible for these things and make them pay. No one messed with Hannah or the lodge on his watch without serious consequences.
“Who do you think it was?” she asked, stealing a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. “I know you told Bailey you weren’t sure, but…”
“I have no idea,” he admitted with a sigh. “I have to think it has something to do with whoever broke into my room the other night, but that’s about as far as I’ve gotten. I’m not sure what the motive would be for that or for running us off the road.”
“Do you have any enemies?” she wondered aloud. “I mean, from your time in the military? Or the CIA?”
“None that I’m aware of,” he replied with a shrug. “But they might just have been keeping their heads down until they were able to make their move. I really don’t have a clue.”
She chewed her lip. That answer didn’t seem to be the one she wanted, judging by the troubled look on her face. He guessed she was hoping for something a little more direct, something she could actually work with, but he didn’t have anything more for her.
“You know I would tell you if I did, right?” he questioned with one brow raised.
She locked eyes with him and nodded. “I know you would,” she agreed, managing a small smile.
She was still seriously shaken, there was no doubt about that, but it meant the world to Xavier that she trusted him and knew that he trusted her as well. He would always be honest with her.
She paused for a moment, blowing on her tea thoughtfully. “Do you think they might have mistaken us for someone else?” she asked hopefully. “Thought someone else was in the vehicle, and that’s why they did what they did?”
“It’s possible,” he replied. Though he didn’t think that was very likely. It would have been a relief if this was a case of mistaken identity, but it would still leave unanswered the questions of the damaged generators and who had been rummaging through his stuff.
“But you don’t think so?” she prompted him, able to read his face just like always.
He sighed. “I don’t think so,” he admitted. “I don’t think someone who came after us with that much anger would mistake us for anyone else. I think it was about…about me.”
His voice cracked. He wished he didn’t have to come to terms with that part. He didn’t want to acknowledge that he had been the one to pull her into this, to put her in danger. He was the reason she was sitting there with a bandage on her head, in pain and afraid to be alone.
