Page 90 of Keep You Close

“Atlas?” Kingston called, voice rough, likely just as worried about me as I was about AJ.

“Right here,” I called, watching as he flew into the doorway, seeing me on the floor with AJ, the blood splattered on her, and me, and the floor. “Secure the building,” I demanded, holding AJ tighter as she cried out all of the fear and pain she was dealing with.

“On it,” Kingston said, and I caught sight of a gun in his hand as he turned away to walk through the building.

It was less than a minute later that Rush came in, taking in the scene, then jumping into action as well, going to the door to close and lock it, then check out the rooms nearby.

They both came back quickly, shaking their heads as AJ started to sniffle, pulling it back together.

It was then that the door opened, and Nixon’s voice called inside.

“Ah, guys, you need to see this,” he called, making King and Rush look at each other, then me, before walking out of sight for a moment, their voices muffled.

“You okay, baby? Where are you hurt?”

“My wrist, mostly,” she said, still holding it tightly to her chest. Then she raised her hand, touching near her mouth. “This is not as bad as it looks,” she said. “I think my teeth cut the inside of my lip.”

“That’s not your blood?” I asked, gesturing toward a puddle that had my stomach knotting.

“No,” she said, following my gaze. “I… I stabbed him in the arm,” she said. “Scissors…” she added, gesturing toward a room down the hall.

“Good for you,” I said, giving her a squeeze.

“Um, so… there’s this development,” Kingston said, coming into the hallway with Samson on a slip lead.

Except, it wasn’t just the normal Samson.

He had bright red blood staining his coat, mostly consolidated in the area around and under this mouth.

It suddenly struck me that the snarling I’d heard when I’d climbed out of my car hadn’t been coming from inside the building, but somewhere outside. Where Samson was chasing down his mom’s attacker.

“Good boy, Samson,” I called as AJ let out a little sob and opened her arms to her dog.

Kingston released the leash, and Samson lunged forward, but then slowed and carefully climbed into AJ’s lap, like he knew he needed to be gentle.

“He was gone,” King said. “Rush ran around to see. There was no sign of anyone.”

I nodded at that, watching how AJ clutched Samson like her life depended on it.

Maybe it had.

“The alarm,” AJ said, making my brows scrunch.

“What?”

“Why isn’t the alarm going off?” she asked, looking between all of us.

Kingston took a step back, glancing at the system on the front door, shaking his head.

“It wasn’t on,” I told her. “The door was unlocked when I came in.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “No. I locked it. When the last dog was picked up. I locked it. I know I did. And I set the alarm. I saw it blinking.”

My mind flashed back on the conversation we’d had about her ex. I remember her saying that she’d learned his age from some STEM trophies he had around.

“Sweetheart, what does Joss do for a living?” I asked.

Her gaze was blank for a second.

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