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***
“I’ll write down the code for the security alarm before we leave,” Misty says from the front seat of the SUV.
“Okay.” I keep my eyes out the window, watching as we crawl slowly through a residential neighborhood.
I feel a sense of fear for the children playing alone in their front yards and riding their bikes along the sidewalk. Don’t their parents know how dangerous it is in the world today?
“It’s this one right up here.” Misty points down the road to a house on the right. “The white one with the blue shutters.”
“Cute,” I say because it is, although the flowerbeds could use some sprucing up.
Shadow, Misty’s husband, parks the SUV in the driveway, leaving enough room for the second one, containing Cerberus president Kincaid and Emmalyn.
“I’ll get those,” Shadow says from a few feet away when I climb out and turn toward the back to grab my things.
“It’s fine,” I tell him.
“Let him help,” Em says as she approaches. “It makes him feel helpful.”
Shadow grins when Em gives him a friendly slap on the back. “I may need help, Kincaid. If she packed anything like our women, we may need a forklift.”
“I didn’t,” I assure him, my smile coming a little easier with the playful banter.
“Which reminds me,” Em says as she walks up, her hand sliding into the back pocket of her jeans. She pulls out a credit card, trying to hand it to me.
I take a step back and lift my hands. “I have my own money.”
It’s not much, but I worked through a budget before leaving Nebraska to make sure I could handle being here financially.
“Room and board as well as meals are covered in your work contract,” Em reminds me.
I did read that part, thinking it was beyond generous considering what they’re going to be paying me for working in the daycare.
I take the card, noticing the custom Cerberus logo on it, along with my full name. “Thank you.”
“Use it for any and everything,” Kincaid says as he walks past us to unlock the front door of the house. “Don’t buy generic just because you think it’s being helpful. Just get what you normally get.”
I nod, wondering how that first trip to the store is going to go. I’m dreading it already. I joined a sorority in college just for the reduced rent on a room because I couldn’t afford to get a dorm room, and until I was abducted and held prisoner, I thought still living with my parents while going to school was the worst thing that could ever happen to me. I haven’t done a full house of grocery shopping ever before, and I’m not looking forward to the task.
“We’ve been coming in twice a week to dust,” Misty says as she follows the others into the house.
I rush in behind her as Shadow makes his way up the walkway with my bags.
“I’ll just put these in the guest room,” he says as he passes.
“Thank you.”
Even with the five of us in here, the house still feels a little eerie, and I can’t help but wonder if it would still feel the same if I didn’t know what happened to the woman that once lived here.
“It’s a lovely place,” I say, instead of voicing my true thoughts.
“They got lucky with this one,” Kincaid says as he heads to the fridge, grabbing a cold bottle of water.
He hands it to Em, who sighs with a roll of her eyes before twisting off the top and taking a sip. “I got dehydrated once, and this guy takes on the role of being my protector.”
“I’ve always been your protector,” Kincaid says as he leans in close, whispering something in her ear.
She grins up at him, but smacks his chest playfully with the back of her hand when he winks down at her.
His laughter fills the air, and it makes me curious to know what he said to her, but the blush spreading across her cheeks gives me an idea. If it’s what I think, it’s none of my damn business.
“Keys,” Kincaid says as he hands over a full ring of keys.
“Here,” I say, pulling the SUV keys from the ring. “You can’t get home without these.”
“The SUV is yours to use,” Kincaid counters. “You have to have a way to get around, and it’s safer than public transportation.”
“I couldn’t,” I argue. “That’s too generous.”
“And also part of your contract,” Em says.
Tears sting the back of my eyes at their genuine kindness.
“If you don’t want to drive, whichever guy that’s on duty outside will give you a lift,” Kincaid says. “Em made a list of the guys’ phone numbers. You should program them—”
“G-Guys? Outside?”
“We’d never leave you here completely alone,” Kincaid says.
“On occasion, it’ll be Slick or Rivet on duty, but there are more men that work for the organization than women,” Misty says, understanding my unease. “We can’t have just the women on duty at all times. They need time off as well.”
