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I’m ready to murder Dale and Candi and leave their bodies lying in the middle of the street as an example to anyone else who wishes to hurt what is mine, so I can’t fathom what Shane is feeling right now.
“Leave this with us.” Shane’s detached words startle me.
He sounds calm, calculated.
“I—I can’t.” Willow tries to argue but Shane is already dismissing her as she tries to reason with him. “You don’t know Dale. You don’t know what he’s capable of. He’s going to hurt Annie. I know it.”
She inches down the counter toward the knife and I wonder if she’s really going to attempt to use it as a weapon against us if we push her too far.
“Tell us. Tell us what he’s capable of—Willow—what did he do to you?” I plead with her in an attempt to understand her fear.
She looks conflicted.
The same look flashed across her face the moment she found out she lost the poker game.
“That night—when I found him with—her. I’ve never seen him like that before. I told him to leave—and—and—I told him there was no more money. I was able to freeze the accounts.” Her sober expression freezes me in place. “He—he just lost it. He was a different person. He attacked me and tried to kill me with his bare hands. If it wasn’t for my neighbor breaking down the door, I’d be—”
She lets the consequences of our actions linger around us as she sobs.
We set Dale up to fall, but he was willing to take Willow out with him and we left her on her own.
I’m afraid to move.
The absolute acceptance that I will end Dale’s life myself over this settles into my soul.
It’s oddly comforting.
“I wish you had told us all of this sooner.” Shane’s tone is low, regretful, but calm. “We can protect you, Willow. I will have both you and Annie monitored until we can all come to a satisfactory conclusion. Willow, you aren’t alone. You need to understand you belong to us and you need to trust us to help you.”
Willow shifts her attention between the both of us, and I nod when her gaze lands on me.
She softens and takes a deep breath, pulling herself out of her isolated fear.
“What do we do now?” Willow asks.
I feel the smile tug at the side of my lips.
She said we.
It isn’t lost on Shane either.
“To start, when you aren’t staying at the hospital, you’ll be staying with one or both of us. Alex is going to make some calls and set some things up. There is nothing else we can do tonight—except take care of you.” Shane turns his attention from Willow to me. “Alex will take you to his home.”
“I’ll get my things.” Willow’s body deflates in relief and she walks into the kitchen, leaving us alone.
While I’m happy Willow is safe and back with us, something in Shane’s actions feels off.
“You aren’t coming with us?” I shove my hands into my pockets and square myself on my friend.
“Take care of her. I’m going to tie up a couple of loose ends.” Shane doesn’t look me in the eye.
“Shane, I—”
Shaking his head, he dismisses my next question. He pushes off the counter and casually walks out of the coffee shop without another word. His calm demeanor hides his intentions and I let him go.
I don’t know what he’s going to do, but after listening to Willow tonight, I am on board with whatever it is.
SHANE
