And now, Revea is here, leaning forward in her seat to stare at the house before her.
“It’s… big,” she says, gaze darting over the steps leading to the front door, a shelter above held by columns.
“We’re big,” I say, and I swear her mouth twitches. “You see the forest?” I point it out, and she follows, studying the sides of the house. “That covers it from cameras and satellites, but if that didn’t, Sylvan also has an electrical force field around the house. It blocks any electronics except authorised ones on our network.” I lower my voice to a soft murmur as I put the car into park. “Whatever you’re hiding from, Revea, you’ll be safe here.”
Her teeth scrape against her lower lip, eyes studying the exterior.
“Ready to go inside?” I ask.
I wait, worried she’ll say no, or worse… that she’ll ask me to take her elsewhere. Another hotel, her brothers, anywhere that isn’t here with us.
But then she nods.
Unfortunately, she doesn’t let me carry her this time.
While I grab her bag, she’s gotten out of the car and is moving up the steps to the front door.
I follow, inhaling slivers of her scent from the breeze. It’s still bitter, the tang of fear turning it sour. But fuck, it’s still addictive.
She waits as I place my thumb onto the sensor. I barely feel the prick of the needle anymore, and soon, the door opens. Finally inside, I put down Revea’s suitcase by the entrance and watch as she takes it all in.
The dimmed lights slowly flicker to life, filling the room with a soft, orange hue as the fire in the living roomignites. She flinches a little when that happens but keeps walking.
The first floor is mainly open space, containing a wide living room that blends into a large kitchen. That’s where she goes, leaning against the black granite island with stools too high for her to reach.
Not perching on the giant U-shaped sofa we spend most of our evenings on, not the soft egg chairs with throws, she goes for the cold kitchen and leans against the hard counter.
Her head tilts back, staring up at the tall ceiling that’s cut off by the second floor, then her gaze lands back on me.
“Your home is beautiful,” she says softly. Her lips tug, like she’s trying to smile, but then she looks down. “Could you get me my laptop, please?”
I don’t think Revea quite understands how deep my need to please her goes. I’d do anything she asks right now.
I bring her entire suitcase, place it on the counter, and unzip it. Her laptop is on top of her clothes, but before I can pass it to her, she reaches for it quickly, snatching it from my fingers.
Clutching it to her chest, her eyes locked with mine, shining with unshed tears.
She stares at me for a long time, then takes a deep breath. “I’m going to prison, Kaiden.”
My first thought is,No, she’s fucking not, closely followed by,Where’s the body so I can hide it?
I go with the first.
“No, you’re not.”
She pulls in her lower lip, a tear slipping out. “I am. Most likely… I…” She pauses, then holds out her laptop. “Open it. Go to my emails. You’ll see.”
There’s a tremor in her hand as I take it. I thought she was shaking from shock, but now I’m worried it’s something else. I’m so desperate to wrap her up in me again, soothe her with promises she’s not quite ready to believe, because onething I know, without even needing to see whatever she wants to show me, is that Revea is good.
I’m already on her side. Already planning how soon I can get her a new passport and out of the country if necessary.
But she’s closed off to me now.
Her arms fold tightly over her chest as she leans further back against the counter, away from me. And her gaze stays locked on the laptop the entire time.
I need to get this over with so I can reassure her.
I place it on the counter and open it.
