Page 36 of Safe Haven

When I stop, she tucks in right behind me, keeping her hand on my back the way I showed her when we went through the basics of what I’d need from her at times like this. When we start to move, she stays a half step behind me and to the side, eyes moving, feet flying. Our progression is careful but quick, and soon we’re closing in on the location of my parked car. Just as I’m about to make my move across the sidewalk, a set of headlights cut through the night.

Then they shut off.

Hooking one arm around Audrey’s waist, I spin her into the closest line of hedges, blanketing her body with mine since the dark color of my pants and shirt will hide us better than the pale green cotton of her pajamas.

She’s silent and still against me, arms tucked in tight, hands holding the waist of my pants, as the sound of an engine slowly gets louder. The vehicle I saw creeps down the road, getting closer each second, and I grit my teeth, running through all the possible scenarios in my head.

We aren’t in plain sight, but we also aren’t well-hidden. If they stay in their car, we should be fine. If they park and decide to start looking on foot?

We might be fucked.

As the car reaches our position, I hold my breath, wishing for just a second I could handle this the way I would if I was alone. On my own, I could move within the shadows. Get closer. Get a look at who’s behind the wheel. Check the license plate along with the make and model.

Hell, I could just kill whoever’s in there and call it a day.

But Audrey’s safety overrides everything. And with each passing second, it only matters more. Because whether I’ll admit it or not, I’m no longer here because it’s an assignment.

When the car continues its established pace, I breathe a little easier. I strain to see as much as I can between the branches and around the leaves camouflaging us, but it’s nearly impossible to identify anything about the vehicle other than its dark paint.

I wait until it’s fully out of sight to pick up my phone. Keeping my voice low, I quickly place a call to Luca. “I need you to pick us up on the corner of Tulip and South Street.”

“We’ll be there in five minutes.”

Audrey’s blonde brows pinch as I replace my cell and collect our bags. “I thought you had a car?”

“I do, but with as slow as they were going, it’s possible they clocked every vehicle on the street. If they make another pass and notice it’s gone, they might connect it to you.” It won’t be an easy process for them—Pierce registers all our vehicles using shell companies—but I don’t know who Audrey’s ex is connectedwith. If it includes people within the police department like we suspect, that search could get a whole lot easier.

Audrey nods, looking scared for the first time. “You think they’ll be able to tell we just left?”

“Unfortunately, your spot in the bed is probably still warm, so yeah. If they go into your apartment—which I’m sure they will—they’ll know that we’re close.” I take her hand again, triple checking our surroundings before leading her out of the bushes. “Which is why we need to get the fuck out of here.”

I push her hard for the next few minutes, practically dragging Audrey behind me as her shorter legs attempt to keep up with my strides. At one point, I consider stopping to pick her up and carry her, but we’re so close and she’s trying so hard, I leave things as they are. Knowing she did her part to get away is going to help her confidence. And the more confident she is, the easier it will be if we have to do it again.

And I’m starting to get concerned we might have to do it again unless we can figure out who’s included in our list of enemies.

We reach the pickup point just as Luca and Owen pull up. Opening the back door, I urge Audrey in and immediately follow behind her, using my body to push hers across the seat. Luca takes off the second my ass is in place, leaving me to drag my feet into the floorboards and pull the door closed as we drive off.

“You two okay?” Owen asks from the passenger seat, craning his neck to look us over. “What the fuck happened?”

“Darion called me. I was already up because something felt off, so we were able to get out quick.” And thank God for that. If I’d been dead asleep when I got that call, things could have been a whole hell of a lot different. “We didn’t make it to my carbefore they got there, and there’s a chance it could have been compromised, so we had to leave it behind.”

Luca scrubs one hand down his face, eyes darting between the mirrors as he moves us farther from Audrey’s neighborhood. “This is turning out to be a fucking mess, isn’t it?”

Audrey’s eyes lock onto my face. They’re filled with regret and sadness. “I’m sorry you were dragged into this.”

I turn my attention from Luca, focusing only on her. Bringing one hand to her cheek, I cradle her face, leaning close. “Do not apologize for that. Okay?” I can’t stand her thinking she’s done something wrong here. “None of this is your fault.”

“It is though.” Her eyes shimmer in the glow of headlights as they flash through the interior. “I should have never married Trevor. I was so stupid. So naïve. I should have seen how awful he was, and?—”

“He didn’t want you to see what he was, Audrey. Men like Trevor are good at pretending to be something else. Someoneelse. You don’t get to see who they really are until it’s too late, and that’s by design.”

During my time at Alaskan Security I’ve come across plenty of Trevors. I know how they work. I know what makes them tick and what feeds them.

And I know how to bring them down.

“You did the right thing when you called us.” I catch a stray tear as it leaks free, swiping it away with my thumb. “This is what I do. Don’t think for a second I’d rather be anywhere else.”

For a second, I forget it’s not just me and Audrey. Everything around us disappears. I lean in and press my lips to hers,wanting to reassure her. Needing to reassure myself. Because now that the immediate threat is over, all the could haves and what ifs are starting to crawl along my skin.

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