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“For that matter, we don’t know where Emberleigh’s father is, and he’s the threat we’ve suspected for months.”
I whip my head to the door as I wiggle free from his arms. Turning, I set Colt on his lap and begin pacing.
I tick off my fingers as I wear a path back and forth across the office. I’m thinking out loud, releasing the pent-up energy from my body, trying to make sense of uncertainty.
“What we know… Credible threat. Abandoned FedEx truck. Unknown vehicle that two people… one we can assume is poser boy.” I look over to the blood on the hay where that asshole thought he could attack my family. “The second person potential contained. Three—”
“The second one’s no longer a threat.” Eli’s voice is calm and confident.
“You’re sure?”
“Sure enough that you can add it to your fingers as you wear out the soles in your boots.” His smile is familiar and intimate. It’s just the two of us. Well, the three of us, but it has the same effect.
I go back to my fingers. “Second potential threat contained or eliminated. Who was the first ambulance for? How did they breach the security gate? Where is Emberleigh’s father?”
She stops her pacing and whips her gaze to me. “Have we heard how Emberleigh is? What’s the word on Pop? Do you know? I can’t stay here much longer knowing he needs me.”
“We’re here because it’s the best for everyone. I know you hate it. I know it’s eating at you, but this is us keeping ourselves safe. Keeping Colt safe. Reducing stress on Brax, Emberleigh, and Kimp. It sucks, darlin’, but we’re doing this because it cares for your family in a way that everyone needs right now.” He gestures to me. “So, keep pacing and working it out, because we can't leave just yet.”
“Don’t be reasonable right now, Elias Finchley. I don’t have time for logic. Argh!”
A grin widens across his face as he stands, placing Colt in his carrier, and makes his way to me. He grabs my right hand before twirling me out and then pulling me into his chest. His other arm wraps low on my waist.
Without music, he begins to dance with me, occasionally kissing my temple or resting his forehead against mine.
An indeterminate amount of time later, I feel the buzz of Eli’s phone in his pocket. He pulls back and looks at the screen before tapping out a message.
He takes my face in both hands, his thumbs massaging small circles at my jaws. “You’re not going to like this, but you can handle it. I need to get to the hospital to Brax. He’s not hurt. It’s about Emberleigh. He wouldn’t ask me to come if it weren’t important… And it’s important.”
I pull back hard. “Hell no. You expect me to just wait around until what? I’m going along. You check on Brax; I’ll check on Pop. Divide and conquer. No more of this wait-and-see crap.”
I pull back and turn to leave his embrace.
“Remember the you’re-not-going-to-like-this part? Baby, I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important.”
“This is my family, Elias. Mine. Why are you calling the shots?” I’m trying to stay strong, but even I can hear the defeat in my voice.
He stands back, looks around, his gaze landing on the blood-soaked floor before moving to the baby sleeping in a carrier on the floor, and he grins. The fucker grins.
“This is hardly me controlling anything, Bright. This is barely-contained chaos. This is me protecting you. I wish you would let me.”
“I trust you. You know I do.”
“Then do me this favor and prove it. Stay here. Stay safe. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I give in. But only because I trust Eli and I trust that he will do what’s best for me and my family. He’s proven it time and time again.
* * *
Elias
Me:Leaving the hospital and coming to get you. Will tell you about the shit show when I get there.
Brighton: Pop?
She’s never going to wait long enough for a text response, so I call. She answers on the first ring. “Eli?”
“Hey, darlin’. Kimp was airlifted to Austin. I’m coming to get y’all.”
