Page 24 of Guarded from Danger

Lucy buries her face in her hands as she continues crying, having reached her limit.

As I draw her onto my lap, she curls into me, her tears hot against my neck.

My heart hurts seeing her in pain like this.

“I think we’re done,” Dante says. “You did awesome, Lucy. I know this sucks. But we’re done.”

Niall pulls out his phone and taps out a quick text. “I’m going to have Jade meet Lucy at the apartment. So she can stay with her until we’re done with the meeting.” He looks at me. “Is that alright?”

While I want to be the one comforting her, I know I need to do my job. So I grit my teeth and lift my chin at him. “Yeah. Thanks.” To Dante, I add, “I’ll just walk Lucy to my apartment and I’ll be right back.”

Dante gives me a quick chin lift in return. “Of course.”

With Lucy still in my arms, I rise from the chair. Then I set her on her feet and tuck her into my side. “Come on, Luce. You did so great. But let’s go home, okay?”

Tears still spilling down her cheeks, she lifts her head from my shoulder and meets my gaze. “Okay.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

LUCY

I can’t believe I lost it in front of Xavier’s team.

After my claims of being able to handle their questions, clearly, I couldn’t.

Xavier gave me an out. So did Dante. But I was so sure I could make it through without breaking down. Yes, I cried when they rescued me, and again in the hospital, but it’s been almost a week since then. Now I’m safe at Blade and Arrow, not starving, not exhausted, and I have six extremely skilled people protecting me.

Plus, I’m thirty-five years old. A full-grown woman with a career and an advanced degree who’s been living on her own for years. I do small repairs around my house, like changing electrical sockets and fixing leaky drains using videos on YouTube. I shouldn’t be bursting into tears at the conference table during an official team meeting and have to be escorted back to Xavier’s apartment so Jade can come babysit me.

I so badly wanted to prove I was strong. I wanted to do my part to stop this sick online game. And I wanted to see the lines of worry smooth from Xavier’s forehead, the ones that have been permanently etched there ever since he found me in the cabin.

For a little while, at least, I wanted him to see me as normal Lucy. Not the one who’s turned into a complete mess.

Not that he’s complained about dropping everything to be with me twenty-four-seven. And he constantly reassures me that it’s no big deal when I wake up screaming from a nightmare or have a mini panic attack when he takes a shower. He says he likes leaving all the lights on at night, claiming, “This way I won’t bump into anything, Luce. So it’s better for both of us.”

As if my Special Forces boyfriend would run into a chair walking around his apartment at night? Not likely. But I appreciate him trying to make me feel better about it.

If the positions were reversed, I know I’d do the same. But it doesn’t stop me from feeling guilty.

And worrying.

What if this is too much for our relationship? Five months isn’t that long in the scheme of things, and just because I’m falling in love with him doesn’t mean he feels the same. And being forced into living together like this… it’s not how I thought it would happen.

I thought we’d have a talk a few months from now, or maybe he’d do something sweet like give me his key as a gift. Not that I’d have to move in out of necessity.

Despite all the crappy stuff, I like living with Xavier. I like sleeping next to him every night and sharing breakfast each morning. I like seeing my clothes alongside his in the bedroom closet and my shampoo next to his in the shower. Being here feels natural. Right.

But he’s never had a serious relationship before, so living together is a big deal. When we had the relationship talk, he told me sheepishly, “I know it sounds bad. I’m thirty-eight and I’ve never dated anyone seriously. Not more than a handful of dates. My parents… they had a bad relationship. So I think that mademe avoid commitment. But once I met you, Lucy… it’s different.You’redifferent.”

My heart still gets all warm and oozy whenever I think about it.

But I’m scared, too. What if being here ruins things between us? What if my fears and anxieties put too much pressure on our relationship? What if he decides he wants someone who can keep it together better?

“Luce.” Xavier looks up from his phone and turns to me. “Niall said Jade is on her way. She was in the shower when he texted, but she’s coming over now. Are you—” He stops as the lines in his forehead deepen. His voice gentles. “Are you okay with this? Me leaving to finish the meeting? If you’re not?—”

“I’m fine.” Although I’d probably be more convincing if I stopped tapping my foot and twisting the couch throw into a pretzel. So I set the throw aside and force my foot to still before saying, “It’s okay. I got upset, but I’m better now. Jade doesn’t have to come.”

He stares at me for a second, his gaze dark and assessing. “I’d feel better if she does. It won’t be bad. You know Jade. She’s great. And if you feel like talking about things… she would understand.”

---