“Easy,” I murmur. “You’re safe. Rest.”
She settles again. I stay right where I am.
By the time the sky starts to lighten outside the window, the rain has finally stopped. Eli returns as promised. He checks her again, listens to her lungs, feels her pulse.
“She’s doing better than I expected,” he says quietly. “But she’s going to be in a lot of pain when she wakes. Broken leg will need a real cast. Ribs are going to hurt for weeks. She’s going to need help with everything for a while.”
I nod. “She’ll get it.”
Eli glances at me, then at the woman in my bed. He doesn’t say anything else. He knows me well enough not to push.
After he leaves I make coffee in the small kitchen and stand at the window, looking out over the compound. The gate is already being repaired from being broken when Magnus and his men tried to come after Sadie. Thorne had rescued Sadie and vowed to protect her at all costs, which meant she was one of us now. And we did that. We protected her.
Rhett and Wyatt are out there with tools. Life at Haven 7 keeps moving, but my cabin stays quiet. That’s the way I want it.
I bring a mug of water to the bedside table in case she wakes thirsty. Then I sit back down in the chair. She hasn’t moved much, but her color looks a little better. The cuts on her face have been cleaned. The bruises stand out dark against her pale skin.
I don’t know her name yet. I don’t know why someone tried to kill her. But I know one thing for certain.
Whoever did this willnotget another chance.
I lean back, rifle close, and keep watch. The mountain’s quiet outside. Inside, the only sound is her steady breathing and the soft crackle of the fire.
This is my cabin. My space. And now it’s hers too, for as long as she needs it.
I’ll make sure she gets every second of the rest Eli ordered.
And when she finally wakes up, I’ll be right here.
Ready to keep her safe.
No matter what it takes.
The sun rises higher. I don’t move from the chair. I watch her sleep and let the silence wrap around us both like armor.
She’s safe.
That’s all that matters right now.
THREE
BOYD
I haven’t left her side in twenty-four hours.
The fire burned low sometime after midnight and I added another log without ever taking my eyes off her. She still hasn’t woken up. Her breathing stays steady, but the bruises on her face have darkened into deep purples and blues. The cut on her forehead is closed with neat stitches thanks to Eli. Her left leg is elevated on pillows, wrapped tight in a temporary splint. Every few hours she shifts and lets out a soft, pained sound that makes my jaw clench.
I stay right where I am. Watching. Waiting.
A knock sounds at the door, low and familiar. I stand, rifle within easy reach, and open it just enough to see who it is.
Eli, Gavin, and Silas stand on the porch. Their expressions are serious.
“Come in,” I say quietly. “Keep your voices down.”
They step inside and wipe their boots. Eli moves straight to the bed and checks her vitals like he has done every few hours. He nods once, satisfied.
“She’s stable,” he says, voice barely above a whisper. “Still no sign of waking, but her color is better. The leg will need a real cast soon, but it can wait until she’s conscious.”
