Marshall stole one last look at Carter before he pulled the blackout curtains closed and headed into the living room. He paused as he stepped into the open space. Lena stared into the wood stove and pulled lazily at the end of her ponytail.
Doubts twisted in his gut, so he took a deep breath to settle them before he stalked across the space. He sat on the recliner, unsure of the coziness of the loveseat now that Carter wasn’t there. He’d just gotten her forgiveness, something he never thought he’d have. He didn’t want to push her trust of him by moving too fast. For all he knew, she could throw venomous glares at him or punch him in the face. If she didn’t, he’d take that as a sign to move forward with Operation Charm Lena.
“We need to talk.” Marshall’s words caused her lips to tweak into a grin before she controlled it.
She crossed her arms, leaning back against the opposite side of the couch, and raised her eyebrow in a silent question. Or maybe it was more of a command. In either case, it made Marshall’s heart pound in anticipation. He was used to being the one in charge, but he didn’t think he’d have that position with Lena. She was too much of a driving force to be the yielding partner.
Would that make a relationship between them burn hot with passion or explode in conflict? He inwardly shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself. Marshall took another breath.
“Okay. Shoot.” She was just going to let him talk?
Marshall stared at her, determined to catch any signs of how she really felt in her expression.
“I’m going to have Bjørn take me to an airport when he comes up to join us tomorrow.” He quickly continued when her forehead crinkled in objection. “I know Bjørn had some things he had to take care of before he could come up here long-term, but now that Carter is safe here with you, I need to make sure everything is all right back home. I can’t be out of communication indefinitely. I can’t leave my business to others, no matter how much I trust them. Plus, the vote for the term-limit bill is in three days.” He picked at nonexistent lint on his jeans. “I’ve dedicated too much time and sacrificed too much to just give it up when we are so close to having the numbers to pass it.”
“All right.” Lena swallowed and stared out the window, still bright with the midnight sun of late July. “You won’t be able to come back.” She turned her gaze to him. “Not until it’s safe to bring Carter home. It’d be too risky. No one knows we’re up here at the moment. It’s the only reason Bjørn could come back. When he does, he’ll be fully stocked with enough for us to last a good month or more. But you’d be going back into the bear’s den. If you tried to come visit, you could be followed, and then Carter wouldn’t be safe.”
He had ridiculously thought he could figure out a way to visit on the sly, but she was right. He looked past her at the rocky mountaintops. Could he be away from her and Carter for an unknown time? Would he even know when it was safe to come get them? He closed his eyes as heaviness settled on him again. Responsibility and his own wants warred within.
“It’s okay, Marshall.” Lena scooted to the other side of the couch and stretched her hand to squeeze his that gripped the recliner’s armrest. “I understand you need to finish what you’ve started, but I think you should call Zeke and hire more of the Stryker team for protection until the threat is contained.”
He nodded, grabbed her hand, and squeezed it in a move that probably showed his desperation. “I’m scared.” His voice was hoarse and scratchy as fear climbed up his throat. “What if something happens? What if I never see you two… Carter again?”
“I’ll keep him safe. I promise.” Her whisper held a confidence that eased his muscles and settled his fear to a slight buzz as opposed to the disconcerting clanging it had risen to.
He ran his thumb along the back of her hand. He could trust in her strength and knowledge to keep his family safe. With them hidden away, he could focus on the tasks needed to be done to bring them back to him.