Page 72 of Surrender

“Go lie down, Whitney. Go rest with the kids.”

Her gaze flits around the room before settling back on me.

I tilt my lips in an encouraging smile. “Go on.”

“You’re probably right. I do have to work in the morning.”

“How’s that been going? You started this week, right?”

One shoulder lifts in a shrug. “It’s a job. I’m sure once I settle in, things will get more comfortable. Right now, it’s just training and paperwork.”

“Of course.”

“I’ll see you in the morning?”

“I’ll be here.”

She lingers, her hand on the corner of the hallway as if she wants to say more before she appears to give up. “Good night, Jack.”

“Good night.”

With a sleepy smile, she returns to the bedroom. The door shuts with a final click between us.

I feed Cooper a semi-late dinner and let him outside. A chill crawls down my spine that has nothing to do with the winter cold and everything to do with that prick out there causing her problems. The darkness of a Minnesota December sprawls the acreage behind my property, and for the first time since I moved in here, I feel unsettled when I gaze out into the trees. Not because I think he’s out there physically on my piece of land. But because the safety she deserves to find in Fairview Valley has been shattered.

It’s not my business what she does at this point. She needs to take care of herself and the kids. But for some reason, I can’t help but hope it doesn’t send her running again.

Cooper comes at my whistle, and I lock up for the night. He settles onto his bed by the door, my personal security alarm. His bark sounds vicious. When you’re on the other side of a door you can’t see through, you’d have to be really dumb to take your chances against him.

To the tune of a quiet house, I open the car seat boxes and set them by the door to go in my SUV tomorrow. I already decided at the store I’ll just install them and get it done with. That way, if they’re needed, I don’t have to waste time fucking around getting them in.

One faces forward, and the other faces the back of the seat, but unlike the one Bennett has now, these aren’t removable each time he gets in and out. I figured if Bennett’s with me, I prefer to hold him in my arms rather than lug that thing around anyway.

I set up the security camera next. The open plan of my house means I’ll be able to capture all the possible entry points—the front door, the garage, the hallway to the bedrooms, the sliding door, and half of the kitchen. As long as the camera is turned on, nobody will walk into this house without us knowing.

I tuck the instructions for installing the app under the car seat strap and retrieve the bags of items I bought. My phone vibrates with a text. I dump the contents on the kitchen table before tapping the messages open.

Sutton Stone

No sign of him. Canvassing businesses on the north and south side of town for CCTV footage in the morning.

Me

I appreciate it. Got time tomorrow evening for me to bring her car by? I want to sweep it for a tracking device. Need to know how he followed her here from Arizona.

Sutton Stone

I’ll have time around lunch. Otherwise, after six.

Me

I’ll see what works best for her and let you know. Thanks.

Sutton Stone

Sounds good.

With another thing taken care of, I leave my phone beside the boxes of cabinet locks and set out to babyproof the kitchen. Bennett can’t even crawl yet, but I need to make sure both he and Lucy are safe from cleaning supplies and sharp objects.

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