A soft knock on my door jamb pulls my attention from the bag I’m not wanting to pack. I glance up at Weston. “You can come in.” I shove a T-shirt into the bag, then follow it with a pair of jeans. “You know, I don’t even know how long I’m packing for. How long before I get to sleep in my bed? Before I get to stand behind the counter of my shop and?—”
Weston wraps his arms around me and holds on. “You’re one of two people alive who loves Violet as much as I do.”
Hearing him say her name breaks my heart. We’ve barely spoken about her since the funeral. And even that’s a rare occurrence. I haven’t heard him say her name since the day we buried her.
“How can I run away? What if he chooses someone else?” The idea of anyone ending up like Violet, dead and discarded in the woods, is enough to make me want to vomit.
He releases me and crosses his arms. “We will catch him before he hurts anyone else.”
“It’s been almost two decades, Weston.”
“As much as you don’t want to admit it, Sawyer and Jack are right. Removing you from the equation removes predictability. He’s going to be desperate to find you. And mistakes are born out of desperation.”
“And if you’re all wrong?”
“Then that’s not a weight that belongs on your shoulders.”
“I’ve lived with this for so long, Weston. And I’ve tried to move on. That flower petal?—”
“I know, little sister.” The use of the pet name he and Zane gave me all those years ago brings tears to my eyes. It’s an echo of another time, when Violet was alive and we were all running around, playing, unaware that there was such darkness headed our way. “Just promise me that you’ll keep Sawyer in line.”
I snort, appreciating his attempt at humor even if it is forced. “No one can keep Sawyer in line.”
“If anyone can, it’s you. The guy is crazy about you.”
I stare down at my hands. “I feel the same way about him.” Heart heavy, I turn toward Weston. “I’m sorry, Weston. I should have called you or woken my mom or Zane up. Instead, I let all of you down.”
Weston clenches his jaw and looks away. Emotion has never been an easy thing for him to share, but every now and then, you get a glimpse behind the armor. “You didn’t let anyone down, Anastasia. Not at all. Thank you for being such a good friend to Violet.”
“Thank you for being such a good second brother to me.”
He smirks. “Anytime. Now finish getting packed so you can get out of here before it’s too late.”
Ten minutes later, I’m packed and stepping into the living room. My mom, Zane, Tessa, Garrison, Ryker, Officer Leopold, and Jack all stop talking and turn to face me.
I feel like something on display at an exhibit.
“I’m ready.” I glance around the room. “Where’s Sawyer?”
“He’s meeting us there,” Zane says. “You ready?”
“Yeah.”
My mom walks over and wraps her arms around me. “I love you, sweetheart.” She pulls away, tears shimmering in her eyes. “What happened then is not your fault, and what is happening now isn’t either. They will find this guy, and he will pay for what he did. But remember, God is just, and even if this monster escapes the law, he cannot escape judgment.”
“I know, Mom.” Leaning in, I kiss her cheek. “I love you, too.”
Officer Leopold steps up next. “We’ve got leads we’re chasing, okay? And we’ll have someone watching this place at all times just in case he makes another move.”
“Thank you.”
He smiles tightly.
Weston and Ryker both offer me somber nods.
Tessa comes in for a hug. “Why does this feel an awful lot like a goodbye?” she asks.
I laugh, even as the tears threaten to fall. “I was just thinking that.” What I don’t want to say, though, is how terrified I am that it is. Whether that’s because he catches up to me—or they don’t catch him. How can I ever feel safe again?
