She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned back against the seat, exhaustion settling into her bones, tangled with adrenaline and the lingering echo of Roman’s bloodied face. She told herself this was safer. That Bobby knew what he was doing. That the detour meant survival.
Still, the isolation clawed at her.
Finally, a cabin emerged from the shadows.
It sat at the end of the road like someone had carved it straight out of the woods, weathered boards and low rooflines blending into the landscape. Unless you were really looking, you wouldn’t even know it was there. Light spilled softly from the windows, warm and steady, a quiet promise against the icy darkness surrounding it. A single porch lamp cast a pale circle over the steps, illuminating drifting moths and the rough grain of the railing.
But it also revealed the man standing on the porch, staring at them.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
ELVIS GLANCED IN THE rearview mirror, noticing the fear that pinched Delaney’s features as she stared at the man on the porch. “He’s with us,” he assured her.
“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” Donovan growled.
“Yeah, well, someone got to Roman with a hotel full of security,” Elvis said without apology. “And I wasn’t planning on taking any chances.” He gestured to the man on the porch. “His name’s Christopher Powers, Abe to his friends. He’s also a SEAL we’ve worked with before, and he just happened to be in the area.”
Abe stood at the edge of the porch, his stance relaxed, hands loose at his sides, weight shifted back on one heel like someone who knew how to wait without advertising it. The porch light caught the edge of the man’s jaw as a smile slipped across his face.
“Do you have any more of these… surprises for us?” Delaney asked with a sigh. “Because I’m about surprised out.”
Elvis chuckled. “For now, this is it. Come on. I’m sure you’re ready to get out of this car.”
He popped his door open and waved at the man on the porch. “Abe, good to see you.”
“You as well,” Abe said as the others slid out of the car. “Although I didn’t expect company when Callen let me borrow the place for some much needed R&R.”
Elvis glanced back toward Delaney as she eased out of the backseat, her hand still on the door. She looked exhausted, but he could see the adrenaline keeping her going, using the door as a shield. She appeared like the night might reach in and take her, and he didn’t blame her after everything that had happened that day.
“Did he give you a heads up about what’s going on?” Elvis asked as he stepped back to stand at Delaney’s side. Donovan closed his door and simply waited to see what to do next.
Abe nodded. “Yeah, he told me. Said to keep the coffee hot and the perimeter clear. And to make sure I didn’t drink all the good stuff.” His mouth tilted. “Also said you’d probably arrive wound tighter than piano wire.”
Elvis snorted under his breath. “Sounds like Callen.”
Abe’s gaze slid from Elvis toward Delaney, and his tone softened. “And I assume this is the lovely lady who’s had a terrible day?”
Elvis nodded as he glanced down at Delaney, wanting nothing more than to reach out and take her in his arms, wrapping her in his protection.
Abe said nothing else. That was the thing with genuine friends—you didn’t need explanations when the answers screamed from someone’s posture.
“Well, coffee’s on,” Abe said as he waved them inside. “Let’s get everyone out of the night and into the warmth of the cabin. There’s food, too, in case anyone’s hungry.”
Elvis placed his hand on the middle of Delaney’s back. “It’s all right. You’re safe here. Let’s get you some rest.”
She nodded and then let him escort her inside, the marshal bringing up the rear.
Inside, the cabin smelled faintly of cedar and old smoke, remnants of a hundred quiet weekends and probably a few badly kept secrets. Abe gave them a quick rundown of the layout, pointed out the back exit, the narrow trail leading down toward the creek, and the ridgeline that offered visibility if anyone got too curious in the woods.
Elvis remembered what had happened there with Callen, Meaghan, and the kids in their care, how those looking to kill Meaghan had found the cabin and shot Callen, how Meaghan helped get him and the kids out of there and to another safe house Blaze had found for them. However, that was a story for another time. Delaney didn’t need to hear how one set of bad guys had found the place once already. She needed to feel safe for a while so that she could relax and catch her breath.
Abe then left them to it, retreating to the spare room with the bunk beds on the far side of the cabin, with a promise to take second watch later.
Elvis locked the front door as he heard Abe’s door close. He then turned and stood there for a moment, allowing the silence to settle around him like a soothing balm.
Delaney set her bag down slowly, as if sudden movement might shatter whatever fragile balance was holding her together. Donavon, still having said nothing since they arrived, headed for the coffee.
“You okay?” Elvis asked her.
