Page 83 of Guarded from Danger

Almost as if he summoned them, sirens come racing towards us, their shrill blares rising and falling.

Dante lifts the shackle from my ankle and tosses it aside. “There. All done. Now.” His forehead creases in concern. “Xav said you were drugged. I just want to take a look at?—”

“Lucy!”

Xavier comes tearing into the barn and sprints over to me, falling to his knees beside me. His face crumples. “I’m sorry. I know you were scared. I didn’t want to?—”

“I thought he shot you.” Flinging my arms around him, I bury my face in his neck. “I thought you were hurt. Dead. I didn’t know?—”

“Oh, Lucy.” He hugs me, stroking his hand down my hair. His lips press to the top of my head, lingering there. After a breath, he says, “I’m so sorry, honey. I didn’t think. I just… I’m sorry.”

As my pulse slows and my lungs start to work properly again, I take a moment to put things into perspective.

Xavier is alive. Unhurt?—

I jerk my head away from his neck. “Are you hurt?”

“No.” He gives me a soft smile. “I’m fine.” Then his smile shifts to a satisfied smirk. “I can’t say the same for that piece of garbage out there. He might be hurting for a while.”

“Piece of garbage?”Oh. “Nevermind.”

Xavier is safe. Not hurt.

But he was chained to the wall. “How did you get free?”

“I have a lockpick in my belt. We all do.” His voice dips in apology. “I wanted to tell you, Luce. But I didn’t want to risk being caught.”

“And Peter? Is he?—”

“Niall has him. And the police just arrived. So he’s not going anywhere.”

“And he’ll go to jail?” Rationally, I know the answer, but I’m still rattled enough to need the assurance.

Xavier nods. “Yes. Absolutely. For what he just did—kidnapping, assault, attempted murder—and all the other charges, too. Now that he admitted his guilt to us, and Wilton implicated Amberson, I’m confident he’ll be charged.”

“Wilton implicated Peter? How?”

Grimacing, he says, “That’s what the phone call was at your parents’ house. Once Wilton’s attorney got there and they talked to the FBI, Wilton mentioned something about an online group for hackers. And how one of the guys mentioned making a survival-type game on the dark web. Matt checked out the group and was able to connect Amberson to it. That’s how Wilton was targeted as the fall guy to begin with.”

“Oh.” My brain is still sluggish, and with all this information, it’s taking longer than usual to process it. “My parents!”

“Fine.” Xavier stands, pulling me up with him. “Matt checked. He’s back at the ranch, keeping an eye on Sarah and Jade and running point on research. Your mom and dad are still in Paris. He talked to them. Your dad is perfectly healthy.”

Fresh tears spring to my eyes, emotion making it impossible to speak for a second.

“Come on, Luce.” Xavier starts to pick me up, but I touch his arm to stop him.

I lift my chin. “I want to walk out. Show that… piece of garbage… that I’m stronger than he thought.”

He loops his arm around my side, supporting me. “Youarestrong.”

Well. I’m getting there.

As we make our way out of the barn, I look up at Xavier and give him a tiny smile. “You made Peter pee himself?”

A sheepish smile lifts his lips. “I know it wasn’t the mature thing to do.”

“That’s okay.” I lean my head on his shoulder. “I’m glad you did.”

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