Page 56 of My Secret to Protect

He turns fully now to meet my eyes with a stern gaze, then thumbs over his shoulder for us to step back inside, and then closes the door.

‘No sugar, you don’t.’

‘I can’t just hide out here, Arlo. We’re drawing him out, right? So, I need to be out there.’

‘You’re exhausted. You think I can’t see that you haven’t slept at all? You think I don’t hear you creeping around at night? I know you’re checking locks. I know you’re afraid. How can you do your job like that?’

‘This is Forest Falls, Arlo, not New York City. Most of my day will be spent at my desk, but Jenna needs me to be there.’

‘No!’ The sharp way he says the word makes me take a step back.

‘You can’t tell me not to go to work.’

‘I just fuckin’ did.’

‘Arlo, I can’t just…’

‘I can’t keep you safe if I don’t know where the fuck you are,’ he snaps, and I shut up. ‘You want me to come sit in your office all day, look like a possessive prick of a boyfriend that your friends and family will call into question? I can do that. I don’t give a fuck what anyone here thinks of me but is that what you want, Bree? You want them asking questions we don’t have time to answer?’

Inhaling deeply, I steady myself. How am I supposed to know the correct next move here?

‘Jenna needs to know what’s going on.’ My voice trembles with my words, and he shakes his head.

‘Not a good idea.’

‘You have a better one? She’s a cop, Arlo, and she has known me her whole life. If she doesn’t get some acceptable answers to the questions in her mind right now, she’s going to start digging around. That not only puts this whole plan at risk, but it could put a target on her back.’

He takes a breath, then opens the back door and calls Beans into the house.

‘Invite her over for breakfast,’ he grunts as he leaves the room, and I hang my head before heading back upstairs for my phone and texting Jenna.

‘Bree.’ Jenna’s concerned eyes meet mine across the dining table, and she reaches for my hand. ‘Are you sure you’re okay?’

We decided not to tell Jenna the truth. Well, Arlo decided, and he was right. I’m okay with how this is going to have to end up. I know there’s only one way to stop Nolan, but Jenna—she’s never walked in the gray. Her life has always been black and white, a clear line between right and wrong, good and bad. Meeting Kacey and falling in love opened her eyes to the messy and imperfect parts of life, but still, at her core, she won’t understand why, as the good guys, we can’t stop the bad guy and put him behind bars. She will take it upon herself to try and catch him, and she’ll put herself in danger doing that. So, we’re lying, more lies, but for the right reasons.

‘I am. I’m okay, Arlo is looking after me.’ I turn to him, my fake boyfriend, and smile. He nods and brings his hand up to my shoulder.

‘Are you going to see a doctor?’ Jenna asks, concerned. I told her I hadn’t been feeling well, hadn’t been sleeping, and didn’t feel able to work right now, and she accepted it.

‘I’m going to take a little time, get some rest, soak up some sun and fresh air, and then maybe if…’

‘Yes,’ Arlo cuts in, and both Jenna and I turn to him, but his eyes hold mine. ‘If she doesn’t start feeling better in a couple of days, she’s seeing a doctor.’

‘Good, Bree, that’s good.’ I look back to Jenna, and she smiles softly. ‘I’m going to get going. Arlo, it was nice to properly meet you.’

‘You, too.’

‘I’ll walk you out.’

Standing, I walk Jenna out onto the front porch, and she turns to me, gripping my arms and lowering her voice.

‘Is he forcing you to stay here?’

‘What?’

‘This isn’t like you, Bree, moving in with a guy after a week, not going to work. Do you need me to step in?’

Exhaling, I pull her into a hug.

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