He chuffed a laugh and kicked the door closed, carrying the bags through to the kitchen. I trailed after him, taking in the range cooker warming the place, then watching as he unpacked fresh bread, vegetables, and cupboard goods from his delivery.
“You stocked up. Planning to keep me for a while?”
Tyler stilled. He set down the bag of apples in his hands. “I don’t want ye to be scared.”
At long last, real fear trickled into my veins.
I hadn’t let myself feel anything but the happiness he’d sparked and relief at fleeing a worse fate. “That’s about the scariest sentence you could’ve led with, hun.”
He swallowed. “You’re safe here. From anyone. The house is highly secure, and nobody followed us.”
I already knew that. He was safety tied up in dark denim and sliced with a trusty blade, so it made sense that his woodland retreat would be, too. It was what he wasn’t saying that caught the breath in my throat.
“Who knows I’m here?”
“Not a soul.”
Oddly, I felt better that no one knew he’d taken me.
“Not that man who came for me right before you appeared?”
Caution and interest flickered in Tyler’s eyes. A wild animal, scenting prey. “Who?”
Then the Shithouse wasn’t with him. “Doesn’t matter.”
“Dixie, tell me?—”
I raised a shaking hand. “Honestly. I’m scared enough without going over details, I’m begging you.”
He breathed out but gave a short nod. “If that’s what ye want. I have to go to work. I hate leaving ye, but I’ll make it as short as I can.”
I took a backwards step. He’d brought me here and was abandoning me? “You’re going to the warehouse?”
He inclined his head. Though he radiated reassurance, I couldn’t read everything about him. He seemed so in control, but almost nervous with it. Something was happening I didn’t understand.
“Can’t you stay?”
“I wish I could. There’s no time now, but if ye give me a chance to explain when I get back, I’ll do my best to give answers. I can guarantee my promise. No one is going to hurt ye. I’d lay down my life for that.”
God, those were pretty words.
Nice enough to keep.
He collected his keys from where I’d left them on an oak side table.
“Just a sec.” My fingers trembled. “You’re my friend, aren’t you? You won’t hurt me either.”
Emotion crossed his features, gone too quickly for me to identify it. “Never. Trust me until I can explain better. Even if ye can’t, just trust that I’ll keep ye alive. I’ll be back.”
With that, he was gone. The door shut before I’d had a chance to move. Through the window, I watched his headlights peel away, then I was all alone.
It took long minutes until I tried the door handle. Locked. I crept across the living room to the kitchen. The back door wouldn’t budge. The windows, too.
At least I had my phone. Tyler hadn’t taken it or even asked.
I worked out why. No signal.
But as I scanned the screen, the article I’d opened on the beach moments before he’d taken me was still there. I stared at the words that condemned the Marchant family, scrolling past the piece I’d already read.
