Page 81 of Redeemed

“It doesn’t matter right now,” Colton snaps, making me jump. “Stop trying to force information out of her until she can actually talk.”

“Fuck, you’re right.” Lucas goes back to rocking me, but it barely helps.

“Hey.” Colton’s touch is gentle as he cups my cheek. “Focus on me, okay?”

“He’ll take me away,” I sob before I can catch myself.

“Haven.” He leans in closer when I don’t respond.“Haven.Look at me.”

With a shuddering breath, I meet his gaze. His eyes draw me in, and for a few seconds, my world consists of nothing but golden brown fading into green. My heart rate slows a touch, and I’m finally able to get a full breath in.

“That’s it,” Colton whispers reassuringly. “We’ll keep you safe, angel.”

“But—”

“Do you trust us?”

My bottom lip trembles as I realize I don’t know. Do I trust the boys to protect me, and to hurt anyone who harms me? Yes. Since day one, they’ve always looked out for me, but the three of them share a darkness that scares me sometimes. It’s like they need the violence that comes with beating up anyone who even looks at me wrong. They crave it.

What happens if they turn that craving on me?

What happens if I need protecting, but it’s fromthem?

“Answer him,” Xander pushes.

“I do,” I say, and I think I mean it.

“Good.” The corner of Colton’s mouth tips up. “Because we’re never letting anyone touch you. The second you give us a name, he’s dead.”

Dead?He can’t be serious. If they killed someone for me, they could go to prison.

“Did you run all the way here?” Lucas asks, and maybe it’s because I’ve been deprived of oxygen for too long, but he sounds impressed.

“Was scared,” I mumble.

“Well, you’ve got nothing to run from now,” he murmurs. “We’ll keep you safe.”

With relief, I slump into him, and if I’m not mistaken, I feel the soft press of his lips to the top of my head. It has strange, confused thoughts swirling through my head. His woodsy, earthy scent enveloping me only worsens them.

The boys don’t let me focus on them long, though, before Xander is holding out a glass of water.

“Drink.”

When the water touches my lips, my body seems to remember that it’s thirsty. I gulp as much of it as I can before I swallow some of it wrong and dissolve into a coughing fit.

“Careful,” Xander scolds, but there’s laughter in his voice.

Someone takes the glass from my hands, and by the time I’ve finished coughing, I realize I feel a lot better. With Lucas shielding me from behind and Colton and Xander in front of me, I’m surrounded. Protected. Safe, just like they said.

“Thank you,” I whisper. I still feel like a mess, but none of them seem annoyed with me.

“We’ve got you, angel.” Colton squeezes my leg. “Now, why did you have to hide?”

The honest answer almost spills from my lips unbidden, but then Julie’s warning causes me to bite my tongue.

It’s best for your safety if you keep talk about Cornerstone to a minimum.

The boys have known I grew up in a cult for over a month at this point. Athelia knows more, but that’s different. She looks at me with the same softness that Ruth does. I know I can trust her.

---