Reid answered this time. “We don’t think he knows exactly where we are.”
“Are you sure?”
“Pretty sure.” Reid pushed off the bookshelf.
“Anderson could’ve found your number anywhere,” Fox explained. “Unless you try really hard to hide it, it’s fairly easy to find that information on the internet.”
That didn’t make me feel as reassured as he probably intended.
“If Anderson knew where this safe house was,” August cut in, “he wouldn’t just be sending messages. He’d be here, not in Ember Hollow.”
“So the house is safe?” I asked quietly.
“Yes, Palmer.” Graham nodded from where he stood near the corner, his face reassuring. “You’re safe.”
August gestured toward the man standing silently by the door. “Garrison is extremely trained and has been working in the security industry for years. He’ll make sure everyone in this house is safe.”
Garrison gave a nod, silent but unmistakably confident.
“And,” Graham said, continuing for August, “there’s a reinforced panic room in the basement. If there’s even a hint of trouble, everyone takes cover in there. No one from the outside can get into that room.”
Hailey would be safe here. These men wouldn’t leave their most precious companions in the hands of just anyone. I stared at Garrison, forcing myself to see past his initial standoffishness.
He locked eyes with me. “I’d rather die than allow anyone to harm a single person in this home,” he said, his voice low and rough and reminding me so much of Roman that my heart twinged. “You will be protected here.”
There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I would be.
The only problem was, I didn’t want to be here.
I looked back at August. “If you’re leaving,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt, “I want to go with you.”
August stiffened, his brows furrowing. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
I forced myself to stop my nervous fidgeting. I set my hands firmly in my lap and rolled my shoulders back. “I want to go back to Roman,” I said. “I need to make sure he’s safe.”
“Roman will be safe with us,” Reid said quickly.
“I’m sure he will,” I replied, clenching my back teeth. “But I’m not staying here after he was threatened.”
Silence filled the room.
August’s expression hardened—not in an unkind way, but more practical, like he didn’t have the time for this. “If you comewith us,” he said bluntly, “there’s a chance you’ll be more of a liability than helpful.”
The words stung.
A liability. He might be right, but that didn’t change anything in my mind.
“I don’t care.” I lifted my chin. “I’m choosing to be with Roman right now. And if you don’t take me with you, I will find a way to get there myself.”
I had no idea how I would do that. I couldn’t even drive properly with my hands wrapped in bandages, but I refused to sit in a mountain mansion and wait while he was hunted by a serial killer.
Even if he didn’t want me.
The brothers exchanged looks.
Graham pushed a curl back from his forehead, thoughtful.
“If we bring you back with us,” he said carefully, “it’s important that you listen. If we tell you to stay somewhere, you stay. If we tell you to go, you go. No arguing.”
