Page 67 of Finding Fate

Our smiles mirror one another’s as she shakes her head in either disagreement or confusion as to why I'm still talking.

A loud, obviously interrupting cough pulls both our stares to Mac.

"What's in the file?" he asks and sits on the couch.

I extend a hand to help her off the floor, but she just stares at it. With a shake of her head, she pushes up on her own and sits beside Mac. She doesn't flinch from his touch like she does mine. The way she leans on his shoulder is like a sucker punch to the gut.

What did I expect though? Why in the hell would she see me as anything other than the guy who got caught coming back to get her? She owes me nothing, but I wish she'd at least look at me the way she did our last day. Maybe it was a fever dream and it never happened, but the caress of her hands along my face, across my lips, felt so real.

"Just some research I did on the hacker those guys used to lure their victims. I didn't want it lost or in the wrong hands. Not that I don't trust Matt, it's just...." She shrugs and buries her face against his chest. "We started this together, and I wanted you to finish it if I wasn't able to." Her eyes turn distant as she focuses on the wall. With a shake of her head, she moves out of his hold and looks around the room. "Listen, I'm really tired. Can I... where am I staying?"

"Here," I say before Mac can offer his place. “It’s safer than Fort Knox,” I continue, more to Mac than her.

“I agree, here is best.” Mac gives me a long stare before turning to her. “You’re safe with him, Fate. I trust him, and I think you do too.”

"Who else?" she asks in a small voice.

"Just us, Pops," I say with a smile, which she returns with a grimace.

Mac stands and pulls her into a hug like I did with him. "Sorry, I'm sure you're exhausted. I just needed to see you for myself. I'll check in tomorrow. And Fate?" he says, taking a step back to look down at her. "I’m glad you're home. Home safe. I missed you."

Pale, thin arms drop from his waist to wrap around her chest.

"Up the stairs,” I direct her. “There are four different rooms for you to choose from. Take your pick. I'll bring up the boxes of stuff I snagged from your place in just a second."

We watch as she tiptoes up the stairs and turns the corner down the hall.

"Shock or PTSD?" he asks. "They told me about the burka thing. Glad you were able to talk her out of it. She trusts you."

"Maybe both. I'll figure it out. If anyone can get her to open up about it all, it should be me, right? But I won’t push for answers until she’s ready. She needs time to adjust."

"You know, when you first showed up, I thought you were crazy thinking you two had...." He shakes his head and starts for the door. "But seeing her, that... I've never seen her smile like that. Be careful with her. Even before all this shit, she was fragile."

Glancing back to the stairs, half expecting to see her trying to sneak out again, I mutter, "I never saw fragile."

"Keep me updated."

Tex and Raider flank me on the porch as we watch the FBI caravan back up and head out.

"I've got it here tonight, boys. She's safe with me," I say and turn back toward the house. "What kind of threat are we talking about?"

"We don't really know, Snowflake," Tex replies. "All we know is three people were alerted when her prints ran through the system. Us, the FBI and someone we can't locate. His IP address changes every second, and our guy is good but not that good. We'll let you know when we know more."

With a nod and hard smack on both their backs, I step into the house and close the door behind me. After engaging both deadbolts, I pull the Glock from my hip and make sure there's one chambered.

Satisfied I'll be able to react as fast as possible to keep her safe, I place it back in the holster and make for the closet I shoved her stuff into two months ago.

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