“The guys will disagree,” Nick says, “because they won’t be put into a human trafficking ring or raped.”
“What about Gabby? Will he go after her instead of me?” I ask. How would we protect Gabby? There's no evidence she's in danger, but would Patrick focus on her if I weren’t available? I’dlike to think I could handle whatever Patrick did to me better than Gabby. So much to think about and no time. I’m getting overwhelmed.
“Maybe,” Nick replies.
“It’s something to consider seriously. Let’s check in with Troy and Eddie and see if it’s an option,” Zander says, leaving to make the call.
My sleep is restless that night, a turbulent sea of visions. A man dressed in black with a large P for Patrick where his facial features should be, laughing as I’m groomed to be a sex slave. Gabby’s terrified eyes meeting mine as she's injected with drugs. Ben working with Patrick, finishing what he started at the cabin. My imagination, a frantic bird, claws at my mind until, around midnight, I stumble out of bed to swallow a sleeping pill. I should have taken one earlier with all the revelations, but I forgot. Eventually, sleep claims me, but it’s a shallow, unsatisfying rest. The beeping of my alarm leaves me feeling heavy, unrefreshed, and profoundly disturbed.
Chapter 26
Summer
School is stressful, with all of us on high alert, our heads on a swivel all day. Not a great time for midterms. I’m hoping muscle memory kicks in and I do well on my tests. Ceres is waiting for me right outside school when classes end for the day. I get a nod as he follows us to the parking lot. “Did someone drop you off, or are you riding with us, Ceres?”
“I’m with you,” he replies.
I don’t notice any weapons on him, but I’m sure they're there. Gabby meets us at my Jeep. “Hey Gabby,” I smile.
“Hi Summer. I’m riding with you guys from now on, just to be safe.”
“Good idea. Hop in,” I tell her.
Ceres asks me to get into the back of the Jeep as he gets in front with Nick driving. The other guys get into their vehicles and follow us home. Ceres, his eyes narrowed in concentration, meticulously watches the windows and mirrors as we proceed, taking his job seriously. Instead of easing my nerves, his presence makes my heart pound and my hands sweat. It’ll likely take some time to get used to this.
Troy and Zander are already at the house when we get home. I unlock the door for everyone as we pile inside. There are plates of snacks set out on the island. “Hi,” I greet.
“Hello darling. Guys, grab a snack, then we have a lot to discuss.” I snatch a water and pastry before excusing myself to the bedroom to call Jake. Ceres takes a step to follow, but I assure him I’m just going to my room. He nods and says he wants to walk around outside to get the lay of the land.
After chatting with Mal for a minute, I talk to Jake about Nick’s dad and the scary situation I find myself in. Sometimes I wonder about his ability to process information. He probably can’t, but I hope he recognizes my voice and knows I'm with him.
When I finish my call, everyone is spread out in the living room. My spot in the couch corner is empty, so I take a seat. Zander, Troy, and Nick are sitting in chairs from the dining room, and Ceres is standing against the wall. “Thank you all for coming today,” Zander begins. “As you’ve probably noticed, Summer has a bodyguard now. Ceres will be with her after school and on weekends if she isn’t home with Nick and me. Nick is confident Patrick is after Summer, so we're taking every precaution we can think of to keep her safe.”
“The rest of you still need to be on guard. Be aware of your surroundings and don’t travel alone. Gabby won’t be going anywhere alone either, so make sure one of you takes her home after school or to Finn,” Troy tells us. “I spoke with Eddie at the FBI about witness protection. He's going to look into getting approval for that from higher up, and we will have an answer within 48 hours. No one outside this room is to even mention this to anyone. Don’t speak it out loud, don’t call or text anything, no email, nothing.”
“Whoa, hold up,” Seb says, raising his hands. “Witness protection? For who? When? Sunshine and Nick aren’t going anywhere without me.”
“Nick and Summer at a minimum and as soon as possible. We are concerned he could turn his focus to one of you if we do that though, especially Gabby,” Troy explains.
I watch Gabby pale at the realization. “I won’t leave unless we can ensure Gabby is safe too,” I say, looking at Troy and Zander. Troy nods, but Zander says nothing. I’d probably react the same as he is if it were my long-lost daughter. I just hope he understands my position.
“I wouldn’t suggest this if you weren’t all such good friends, but would any of you like to join Nick and Summer? I don't know when you’ll be able to return, but I’ll move heaven and earth to keep Summer safe,” Zander asks.
“I do not think I could leave,” Alex says. “Sorry.”
“It would be difficult, but I could if I had to,” Bay says. “If it meant Summer and Nick were safe, my dad would understand.”
We turn to E, but he has his head down. “E?” Seb questions.
“I don’t know if my grandparents would allow it,” he replies. Seb seems stunned he wouldn’t immediately agree to go. However, it’s a momentous decision requiring immediate action, so I can understand the hesitation.
“I want to go,” Gabby adds. “I would be a target if Summer leaves, more so than the guys. Patrick prefers to hurt women, right?”
Nick nods to answer her. Okay, so we have me, Nick, Seb, and Gabby possibly leaving in 48 hours. That’s incredibly unbelievable. A sudden chill comes over me. Can this really be my life?
“Bay and E, you have a maximum of 48 hours to decide what you want to do. Bay, talk to your dad alone, but make him aware he can’t say a word to anyone,” Zander says. “We want you all to understand how serious this is. Although you aren’t the primary target, we can’t discount the possibility of Patrick harming you if the opportunity arises. Be on guard.”
Everyone nods in agreement.
