Page 16 of Guarded from Danger

Her house oozes personality, filled with all her favorite things—cozy couches and chairs draped with blankets handmade by her grandmother, vintage wooden bookshelves exploding with books, lush plants blooming in nearly every room, and the walls covered with framed photos of her friends and family.

It looks like a home, as opposed to my apartment, which Rhiannon once called depressing, but Lucy kindly referred to as austere. But we usually spent time at Lucy’s place, not mine, so the appearance of my apartment didn’t seem that important.

Now, though… She needs to be in a place that makes her feel welcome. Safe. And the way my apartment looks isn’t going to hack it.

Glancing at Rhiannon, I ask somewhat desperately, “Can you help me decorate my apartment? Make it look nicer for Lucy? I’m not sure what to get, and I’m going to be here…”

For the record, I’m not asking Rhi because she’s a woman. But I’ve been in her apartment, and it looks like it belongs on an HGTV show. And not the kind where two flippers come in to fix up a rundown house, but the kind where an interior decorator went to town on it.

“Of course.” Rhiannon’s lips quirk as she holds out her hand. “I’ll just take your credit card.” Her eyes widen in innocence. “You don’t mind if I max it out, do you?”

“Buy whatever you need.” Reaching in my wallet, I hand my card to her. “I don’t care how much you spend. As long as she likes it.”

Her eyes soften to a mossy green. “Lucy will just be happy to be home with you, Xav.”

A lump lodges in my throat. “I hope so.” Glancing around at my teammates, I admit the thought that’s been torturing me for days. “But how can she not blame me?”

Erik’s brows pull into a confused V. “Blame you for what?”

“If I wasn’t in Houston, I would have been with Lucy. She wouldn’t have been taken.”

“But it’s your job,” Erik replies. “And you can’t be with her all the time. I hate to say it, but if not that night, it probably would have been another.”

“Maybe. But I shouldn’t have waited until the next day to come back. I should have been more persistent. Especially when my gut was telling me something was wrong.”

Niall shakes his head. “No, Xav. I wouldn’t have thought?—”

But he’s interrupted by a terrified scream.

Lucy!

Even as I’m sprinting into her room, she screams again.

It’s panicked. Agonized. Desperate.

Logic tells me she’s okay, but my fearful brain has other ideas.

Could someone have somehow gotten past us? Past me?

Did the doctors miss something? Is she hurt more badly than they thought?

Why is it taking so long to cross such a short distance?

It’s less than ten feet, but it feels like ten miles to reach her.

As I enter the darkened room, my heart seizes.

She’s not there.

Not in bed where I left her.

Where’s Lucy?

Did I fail her again?

Then I hear a small whimper. It sounds like it’s coming from the other side of the bed.

There’s a rumble of noise—footsteps, concerned voices—behind me. But my only focus is Lucy.

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