Page 28 of Bound in Ashes

He was right about the second part.

But not because I would hurt Asia, but because of how much I wanted to keep her.

Because of how far I’d go to make sure nothing ever touched her.

I couldn’t tell him that, though.

“Message received,” I said.

Levi, who had sat up straight, leaning back, the chair groaning under his changed position, and tapped the stack of maps on the table. “Good. Now how are we going to protect this place?”

I was more than glad to get down to business. “Your current setup has problems. Too much open ground, too many approaches. But it’s got potential, too. Space to maneuver, good sight lines, multiple fallback positions. Potential to be self-sustaining. All you need are the right modifications.”

“What kind of modifications?”

I sketched a rough layout on a napkin. “Reinforce the perimeter here and here. Observation posts. Choke points that force combatants into killing fields. Early warning systems.”

“You’re talking about turning my wife’s home into a fortress.”

“I’m talking about fighting back against whatever comes. Dead or alive.”

“You say that like it’s inevitable.”

“I know it is. Question is whether you’re ready.”

Levi stared at my crude diagram. “How long you planning to stay?”

The question I dreaded.

The one I couldn’t answer.

“Long enough,” I finally said.

An hour later, I gathered everyone in the living room.

Miles, Lourdes, Caitlin, and Bridget all looked toward me.

Asia looked at Levi.

He looked out over the group.

“World’s always been hard, but never like this. Y’all need somewhere to be, and I need help, so I think we can make this arrangement work. Y’all can stay in the house,” he gestured toward Asia, Bridget, Caitlin, and Lourdes. Then settled his gaze on me. “I trust you to make appropriate sleeping arrangements?”

Asia shifted her weight and coughed, sounding every bit the guilty kid before she nodded.

I continued to hold Levi’s gaze and refused to contradict him.

Asia more than an arm’s length away was intolerable.

But I didn’t have the words to say that.

Didn’t want to think about why.

“Any issues with any of this?” Levi said.

“Nope,” I responded for everyone else.

It was Levi’s turn to nod. “Good. Now what am I gonna say next, Asia?” Levi said.