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Blake’s smile remained in her mind’s eye long after he’d gone. She wasn’t sure what she found more surprising—that he’d come back to see her alone or that she’d genuinely enjoyed the short time he’d been there.

Her gaze slid to the flowers, and once again, she was tempted to laugh at their size. Their sweet scent made her think of the man who’d brought them.

Blake Savage was sweet. He was also funny. And, if she was being completely honest with herself, incredibly attractive.

Not that it mattered. She had far more important things to worry about than a good-looking man with a killer smile.

Billy Crawford was still out there, somewhere. Right now, the hired killer was walking around as a free man.

The memory of his face surfaced in her mind.

Such a normal, ordinary face. And that smile of his had appeared so friendly. In many ways, it was one of the worst parts of the whole thing.

The man who’d taken her from her bed in the middle of the night hadn’t looked like a monster. He’d looked like anyone and no one. A man she might have passed on a sidewalk without giving him a second glance.

And that man—that normal-looking, completely forgettable psycho—had kidnapped, beaten, and nearly killed her.

Devon pulled the sheet and blanket a little higher and stared at the flowers. The entire time Blake was here, she hadn’t thought about the possibility of Billy’s return. But now that he was gone, the fear was back, and she knew.

I’ll never be safe.

As long as Billy was free, she’d never truly feel free.

Not here. Not back home in her apartment. Not in another city or some random hotel.

For the first time in her life, Devon was afraid to be alone, and she had no idea what to do next.

She slid her legs out from beneath the bedding and swung them over the edge of the mattress. With careful movements, she slowly stood, gripping the bed’s railing to steady the dizziness. She reached out and grabbed the IV pole, rolling it with her as she moved.

Devon shuffled her way to where Blake had set the vase. She reached out, touching one of the larger petals with the tip of her finger.

It was soft. So delicate.

So beautiful and alive.

That’s what she wanted. More than anything, she needed to feel fully alive again. When Janie and Emmett had been here earlier, they’d both assured her she would . . . eventually.

One day at a time.

CHAPTER ONE

Six months later . . .

“Okay, last question.” Blake Savage glanced down at the resume in front of him, even though he already knew damn near everything printed on it.

Across the conference table, Cameron Wells sat a little straighter. “Hit me.”

Blake’s mouth twitched.

Twenty-three years old. Bachelor’s degree in business administration. Two years as an administrative assistant for a large financial firm in D.C.

Cameron had excellent references and solid computer skills. And unlike the other applicants Blake and Draven had interviewed so far that morning, this one hadn’t spent the past forty minutes making either of them question the future of humanity.

So far, the kid was killing it. Which probably meant something was about to go wrong.

Beside Blake, Draven shifted in his chair. Blake ignored him.

“If a client calls while the team is out and says they need to speak to someone immediately, what do you do?”