Page 74 of Keep Healing

“I’m okay,” I told her. It was a blatant lie.

The table went uncomfortably silent as we all finished eating and I knew it was because of me, but I didn’t have the strength or energy to try and fix it.

I was glad when everyone was done and Matt, Cole, and Livy stood to start clearing away the plates. Kailan and Aleks jumped up to help, but Harris was just watching me, and I knew he was worried.

“I’ll just go and clean this little demon up,” Nick told us as he scooped a sauce and garlic covered Zack up and headed for the hall with him.

“Tell me what you want, sweetheart?” Harris asked me quietly. Mom and dad were at the other end of the table chatting quietly so I knew they couldn’t hear us.

“Sleep, I guess,” I shrugged. “I just feel so tired but every time I close my eyes he’s right there, Harris, just waiting for me. I’m too scared to sleep,” I confessed tearfully.

“Let’s go back to the apartment. We’ll all sleep together in your room tonight. Aleks can play a movie on his laptop and we’ll all cuddle up. We won’t let Soloman in. We’ll keep you safe enough to close your eyes, okay?”

“I really need that,” I agreed as tears ran down my cheeks. I always had one of the guys at my side, but it hadn’t been enough the last few days, Maybe having them all with me would be. I really hoped so.

“Then that’s what we’ll do. Let’s help clean up, then we can go, okay?”

“Okay,” I agreed.

The kitchen was chaos when we walked in, Livy, Cole, Matt, Aleks, and Kailan dancing around each other to get everything organized.

“Just sit here, okay? I’ll help them,” Harris said as he led me to a seat at the counter and lifted me into it.

“I can help,” I protested.

“No. You don’t need to. You need to rest,” Harris told me firmly. I nodded and he walked into the kitchen. I couldn’t help but smile when he started designating jobs to everyone to get the job done more efficiently. I could definitely see why Kailan called him ‘boss’. What was even funnier was the way everyone, including Matt and Cole, just did as he told them. They were working like a well oiled machine in minutes.

I felt someone coming up behind me, and smiled, sure it was Nick and Zack. I just started to turn when an arm wrapped around my chest, but it couldn’t be Nick. He was holding me way too tight. Then I felt it – a feeling I knew – a gun, this time pressed to my temple.

“Hello Eight.”

NICK

I had a huge smile on my face as I made my way back downstairs with Zack, now all washed up and dressed in a clean onesie. I was so proud of him for saying my name. I had been worrying for a while about the fact he didn’t speak yet, but I never expected his first word to be my name. It had struck me hard, right in the heart and I found myself thinking maybe Evie was right. Maybe I didn’t make the shitty dad I always thought I would. Zack certainly seemed happier with me than he had with Abby, even with all of the crazy we were in the middle of.

I was about to push the kitchen door open, when Harris’s voice made me freeze. His tone was firm and clipped. Something was wrong.

“Just take it easy. No one is moving,” he said.

“Harris,” Evie whimpered, sounding terrified.

“Just stay still, Ev. Everything’s going to be just fine,” Harris told her.

“Actually I don’t think it is,” A voice I didn’t recognize almost laughed.

“You motherfucker!” Matt hissed. “You better move that gun off of my sister right the fuck now!”

I backed up. Soloman was in the fucking house and he had Evie at gunpoint. Why didn’t I have my fucking weapon? We’d left them at the house, none of us licensed to carry outside of the state.

I carefully and silently moved through the house and back to the dining room, where I found Keira and Grant huddled together around the corner from the kitchen, listening. Grant saw me and dragged Keira my way. I nodded for them to follow me out of the room, which they did, silently.

“Take him. Go out the front door and call the cops, the FBI, everyone,” I told Keira right away as I handed Zack over. Thank fuck he wasn’t crying or hungry.

“The security guys. They’re just outside,” she told me breathlessly, tears in her eyes.

“Tell them to cover the exits, but not to come in. Soloman is too volatile. If he hears them he could just shoot Evie,” I told her honestly. The last thing I wanted was guys I didn’t even know charging in here and making Soloman feel trigger happy.

“Grant,” she whimpered as she looked to him with terror. .

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