“Call out if you change your mind. One of us will be on guard at all times.”
I crossed to the door, my hand on the frame before I looked back. “Stay off that ankle, Sabine. Get some rest.”
Her eyes held mine for a moment before I stepped into the hall and closed the door behind me. The air felt cooler out here, but it didn’t do much to slow thepulse in my throat. I stopped halfway down the runner, drawing a long breath in through my nose and letting it out slow.
Two doors down, I keyed into my own room. I went straight to the bathroom, turned the tap, and splashed cold water over my face. It stung, but that was the point.
I caught my reflection in the mirror. “Get it together, girl,” I told the face staring back. “She’s your job. Do not fall for this woman. Get your shit together.” The sound of my voice in the quiet was grounding, even if it didn’t wipe out the heat that had been there minutes ago.
I shut off the water, dried my face, and left my room, pulling the door shut behind me. The hallway was quiet. I let my eyes linger on Sabine’s closed door for a moment before turning toward the stairs.
A faint draft touched my arm as I reached the foyer, pulling my attention to the front door. It was open just enough to show the dark line of the night beyond.
Every sense sharpened. My right hand dropped to my sidearm, thumb working the snap on the holster. I crossed the last few feet in silence, my focus fixed on the narrow gap.
I eased the door open, muscles ready for whatever might be waiting.
Cam stood on the porch, shoulder propped against a column, a cigarette between her fingers. The tip glowed as she took a drag, smoke curling into the air above her.
I exhaled. “Damn, Cam. You had me on high alert. Close the door when you come out, all right? And tell someone.”
She gave a slight nod, exhaling smoke. “Told Alex. Not like she’s not watching every move anyway.” She lifted her free hand and waved lazily toward the security camera above the corner of the porch.
“Still. Don’t make it a habit,” I said.
She smirked and held out the cigarette. “Sure, boss. You want one?”
I shook my head. “No thanks.”
Cam shrugged and took another pull, the smoke drifting between us as I stepped back inside. I crossed the foyer and made my way into the kitchen. Ellie was at the counter, stacking the last of the canned goods into a cupboard.
“Good day’s work,” I said, leaning against the doorway for a second.
She glanced over her shoulder with a quick smile. “Not bad. We got everything we need for a while.”
“Go take a load off,” I told her. “Alex and I have the night shift covered.”
She closed the cupboard and wiped her hands on a dish towel. “You sure?”
“Yeah. Get some rest. You’re off duty.”
She nodded, already looking like she might take me up on it. “All right. You know where to find me.”
I gave her a short nod in return before turning back toward the foyer, pushing through the heavy door on the far side. The muted hum of electronics met me first, followed by the low glow of dozens of screens. Two walls were lined with monitors, their feeds stacked in tight grids. Every angle of the property was here, each one shifting slightly with the movement of the night.
Alex sat in a black rolling chair in front of the central bank, a paperback in one hand. She looked up as I came in, setting the book on the desk. “She tucked in all right?”
“Yeah,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “She’s set for the night.”
She nodded and swiveled slightly, attention back on the screens. I dropped into the chair beside her, the cushion adjusting under my weight.
My eyes moved across the feeds. Ellie was heading upstairs, one hand on the railing. Another window showed Cam still on the porch, cigarette glowing faintly in the dark. The west gate camera was quiet, only the faint sway of branches in the wind. The courtyard feed picked up a shift in shadow as a security light clicked on.
Then my gaze landed on the top corner monitor. Her room.
Sabine was moving slowly on the screen, standing beside the bed with her weight balanced on one foot. Her hands worked at the waistband of her pants, easing them over her hips and down her legs. When the fabric reached her ankle,she sat on the edge of the mattress and carefully stretched the cuff around the injured joint.
Her fingers caught the hem of her sweater. The fabric lifted over her head in one smooth pull, falling to the bed behind her. A lacy bra, pale against her skin, framed the fullness of her breasts. The color matched the small scrap of lace at her hips.
