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Rhett:Just give me someone.
I pace my bedroom impatiently while I wait for him to respond. I’m about to call when my phone finally buzzes.
Finn:I’m only working one lead. Been holding him at one of the safe houses for the past week. Can’t break him.
Rhett:I can help with that.
Finn:I have a feeling you want to do more than break him.
Rhett:That a problem?
Finn:Not at all.
Rhett:Send me the address.
Shoving my phone in my pocket, I get ready to go. I’ll leave a note on the kitchen counter just in case someone wakes up. Elliot will be mad that I’m going by myself, but I have to. I can’t hold all this inside anymore.
I creep downstairs quietly so I don’t wake anyone. As I pass by the living room, I realize the glow coming from inside is too bright to be from the dying fire. My first thought is that someone accidentally left a lamp on, but when I step into the room, I freeze.
Wren and Elliot are still in here on the couch. He’s fast asleep with his head in her lap, and the image tugs at something deep inside of me. It’s a relief, seeing him fully relaxed, even if it’s only because he’s sleeping.
Wren lifts her gaze from the book in her hand. “Hi,” she whispers with a smile.
“I didn’t expect you to be up.”
She nods to Elliot. “He hit a dead end with work. I thought it would be nice if we read together, but he fell asleep before he even finished a single page. And then . . . I didn’t want to disturb him. He looks so peaceful.”
Fuck. What did we do to deserve her?
“You need to get to bed, sweetheart.”
“I’m not horribly tired.” Wren’s smile fades when she realizes I’m fully dressed, boots and all. Her free hand, which was softly stroking Ell’s hair, slows to a stop. “Are you going somewhere?”
“I . . .” My stomach twists with guilt.
Was I really about to head out, in the middle of the night, without telling anyone? What if someone woke up and found me gone? Or worse, something happened? It’s not like meeting up at one of Finn’s safe houses is dangerous, but there’s always a chance he’s being watched.
You’re supposed to be doing better than this, Rhett. You need to be here for them.
“No. I’m not going anywhere.” Stepping up to her, I take the book from Wren’s hands and set it on the coffee table. “Let’s get Ell to bed, okay?”
Gently, Wren shakes him. It takes a few tries, but he reluctantly opens his eyes after a minute. He groans and rubs his face before groggily sitting up.
“What time is it?” he asks.
“A little before one,” I reply. “You guys need to get some sleep.”
“I’m not tired,” Wren insists.
After blinking a few times, Elliot squints at me. “You need to sleep too. But why . . . why are you dressed? And wearing shoes?”
Dammit.I didn’t think this through.
“I’m not leaving.”
He gives me his classicdon’t-fucking-lie-to-melook before leaning back into the cushions.
With a sigh, I say, “Iwasgoing to head out and help Finn with something. But I decided to stay.”
