Page 41 of Never the Same

Reed turned toward me, clearly not intimidated by the two powerhouses trying to control the situation. “This is what you want?” He went so far as to take hold of both my wrists as if he didn’t despise me. “You’re sure?”

“Stay,” Gideon said in a clipped tone, like a plea, before I could answer Reed. “I promise, I will find who did this to you.”

“I believe you will,” I forced out as Reed unhanded me. “But if they can’t be here with us, then neither can I.” A slight tremor moved through me as I finally peeled my eyes away from the man who was becoming my rock, and shifted to my brother.

Gideon rested a fist over his heart and ground out, “I may come across as ruthless and heartless to you, but I’d go to hell and back for you. Tell me you know that, that you believe me. I’ve only ever tried to keep you safe, to protect you.”

I couldn’t get the words out because I didn’t know what to believe. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I also didn’t know him.

He tore both hands through his hair, something I’d only seen Julian do since waking up here yesterday. He was . . . rattled.

Catalina gripped his forearm and squeezed. “If your sister doesn’t want to be with us, then so be it.” She let him go, gave me one last look, then muttered on her way out, “Just like my father, I swear . . .”

Gideon faced forward, eyes boring into Reed now as he stroked his cheek and jawline with his knuckles. The man looked like he was contemplating murder. Target acquired.

He erased the space between them as if ready to start his trail of dead bodies here with Reed.

“If something happens to my sister under your watch, so help me . . .” Gideon’s voice dropped so low and deep that it even scared me as he grated out, “I won’t hesitate to slit your throat and cut out your heart.”

Chapter Fourteen

Reed

Charleston, South Carolina

I waited for Secretary Chandler’s text message to finish decrypting so I could see if we had new marching orders. There was a chance POTUS would reroute us to a safe house instead of returning home.

We were already closing in on the last two turns for my street in our gated community, and it’d be too hard to reintroduce Hollis to Audrey, Chase, and the others only to pull her away five seconds later.

Though maybe a safe house would be better? I wouldn’t have to live alone with her, only having Ranger as a barrier between us. Of course, ever since she woke up in Surrey on Friday, she’d been a lot less “bane of my existence” and far too something else I couldn’t yet identify. I just knew it both worried and scared me.

“Text come through yet?” Ryder glanced at me as he slowed down, going over a speed bump.

“Finally, yeah.” I read the message, shaking my head at the mission name Chandler had assigned it. “Operation Return the Crown,” I muttered.

“But I have been returned.” Hollis unbuckled and leaned forward, bracing the back of my seat. “And why am I being called a crown?”

Because you’re a royal pain. I held back the joke I’d have said if she were herself. Old you was a pain, at least. Until she was herself again, I had to behave and monitor my tongue. It was known to unleash ugliness. I also had to do my best to stop touching her. I’d set my hands on her too many times already.

“I assume it has something to do with your family bloodline,” Alex said when I’d yet to wrestle open my jaw and speak.

I’d done a decent job in keeping my distance from Hollis on the flight over, but we’d had an entire cabin of space between us. Now? About four inches, give or take.

“Yo, you good?” Ryder swatted the back of his hand against my chest, forcing me to face forward and drop my thoughts. “What’d Chandler say?”

That I’m screwed because she’s staying with me. “The orders are to stick to the plan. Our neighborhood for now, and to be on standby in case we need to head to a safe house. He’s concerned her family will intervene if we try keeping them in the dark by going into hiding. They may have let us leave without a fight, but that doesn’t mean they’re not monitoring our every movement.” I could feel Big Brother, in the very literal sense, watching us.

“Sounds about right, and I don’t even know them,” she said softly. “I assume Chandler agrees it’s safe for me to be here, though, because if someone went to the trouble of ensuring I was found, then why come after me again, right? You, um, alluded to that back in that face-off with my brother this morning.”

“Right.” I’d also discussed that with my team as to why it was okay for her to leave with us. They’d stared at me with shocked expressions over the fact I was volunteering to have Hollis live with me. Yeah, well, I’d clearly lost it.

“Am I also bait? Do we want someone to come after me so we can finally get some answers?”

“Not bait, no.” I stupidly turned and put eyes on her, because I was a glutton for punishment. “You’re not a damsel in distress. If someone does show up, you can hold your own.”

“I don’t know about that.” She slumped back in the seat. “Sometimes I feel helpless and even understand why my mother can’t stand the look of this weaker version of me. Other times?” She lifted one shoulder. “I feel like if it was me against the world, I’d actually have a fighting chance.”

“The second one,” Alex said before I could find the right words. “That’s you. The first?” He side-eyed her. “That’s just normal to feel that way, given your situation. Ignore whatever your mother said, will ya?”