“You’re safe here,” he said.“That’s what matters.”
I crossed my arms tighter.“Yeah, well, I was also at work minding my own business a couple of days ago, safe, and look how that turned out.”
His gaze flicked over my face and read too much.Way too much.He looked like he was deciding whether to tell me something.The kind of something that changes the temperature of a room.
“Shay,” he said finally, voice low, “you need to understand what’s happening.”
“I’m trying,” I whispered.One second I got it, and then the next second I just wanted to run away.
“Your picture wasn’t in that file by accident.”
My stomach dropped.“I know that.”
“That file?Those photos?The way you were circled in red—” His jaw clenched, and he looked away for a second like he needed to keep from punching the refrigerator.“He’s not watching you because you’re random.He chose you.”
A wave of cold rolled through me so fast I swayed.
Prime caught it, caughtme, before I could fall back against the counter.His hands wrapped around my arms, steady, strong, grounding.
“Breathe,” he said quietly.
I tried.I really tried.But the thought of being part of a lineup of people who were now dead…
“Why?”I whispered.“Why me?”
Prime swallowed once, hard.“We don’t know yet.”
Not comforting.Not reassuring.
But honest.
“But I’ll figure it out,” he added.
“You sound very confident in that.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
His eyes locked onto mine.“Because I don’t lose people I’m supposed to protect.”
My breath stalled.
He didn’t seem to notice, or he did and pretended he didn’t.His grip didn’t loosen, but it didn’t tighten either.Just firm and warm contact that made my pulse do stupid things.
Finally, I found my voice.“You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough.”
“Like what?”
“Enough to keep you alive,” he said softly.“And right now, that’s the only thing that matters.”
Silence fell over the kitchen.
Heavy.Warm.Charged.
I was still in his hands.Still felt the press of his fingers through my shirt.Still aware of every inch of him standing this close.
