Page 86 of Safe Haven

But holy cow is the idea of sleeping in Maddox’s bed appealing. “I can agree to that.”

“Good.” He presses a kiss to my head. “Let’s get going then.”

As we walk down the hall, my eyes find their way toward the room Becca used to occupy, and my throat goes tight. “She’s going to be okay, right?”

“She’s going to be way better than the men Pierce has guarding her.” Maddox grins. “Sounds like she’s full of questions.”

I think back on her ponderance over Alaskan Security’s yearly body count. “I think she just likes to know things.” Becca will be thrilled to have internet access again. She about peed her pants when I whipped out Maddox’s tablet so we could play Scrabble while we drank wine and ate French fries. “FYI, if you end up coming back here to help, don’t play Scrabble with her. She’s impossible to beat.”

“I think I’m going to be sticking around Nashville. Zeke knows I’m almost as protective of Savannah as he is, so if he can’t be there with her, I’m the next best thing.” He stops at the car we’ll be taking home and loads all our bags into the back. Then he helps me into the passenger seat, pressing a kiss to my lips before getting behind the wheel and aiming for my requested destination.

Nerves bite at my insides as we drive to Ivy and Birch. I don’t know how I’m going to feel walking in there. Facing the place I last saw Dane before he threw me to the wolves, knowing they’d eat me alive. But I want to see Ginny. I want to thank her for working so hard. To wish her luck as the new store manager.

To hug her for refusing to tell Trevor anything about me.

After I identified the fourth man at the rundown building Trevor had me brought to, Heidi, Harlow, and the rest of Intel started digging. And what they found still turns my stomach.

Dane had been feeding Trevor information about me for months. They’d exchanged dozens of emails covering everything from what kind of car I drove to where my apartment was to the new hair color deepening my blonde locks. Every week he senthim my schedule and an approximation of how much money I made.

It was violating and disgusting, and if it wasn’t for Becca, I would have left Memphis that minute.

We arrive at the shopping center where I work—used to work—and Maddox keeps me close as we go inside. I hold my breath as I walk in, waiting for whatever emotions are coming for me.

They hit, but not as hard as I expected. I’m sad, sure. Disappointed. Mad even.

But more than anything, I can’t wait to leave. To get away from this place and this city. To put it all behind me and move forward.

It’s only a few seconds before Ginny sees me. Her expression is guarded as she approaches, a stack of jeans piled in her arms. “Hi.”

“Hi.” I don’t know what comes over me, but I grab her in a hug, my throat tight. “I just wanted to say bye and I know you’re going to do an amazing job.”

Ginny stiffens for a second before freeing one hand to pat my back. “Thanks.”

I lean back, hit by a wave of appreciation for the young woman in front of me. “You’re a good person and I hope you get everything you want out of life.”

Ginny’s mouth softens into a slight smile. “You too.”

I don’t know what I wanted to get out of this, but I feel like I have it. Maybe it was closure. Maybe it was to see the person who shutTrevor down from the start. Told him if he reached out again, she’d call the cops.

Should she have told me he contacted her? Probably. But I don’t fault her for not wanting to get in the middle of my mess. Actually, knowing what I know now, I’m glad she didn’t.

Because if I’d known Trevor was watching me, I would have reached out for help sooner. And it wouldn’t have been Maddox who was sent to save me.

So, as weird as it sounds, there’s nothing I would change about my life. Everything I went through is what brought him to me.

And my Murder Maddox is worth every bit of it.

Maddox

“Who wants cookies?” I carry the tray of warm baked goods into the great room where Audrey and Savannah are piled on my couch, snuggled under blankets, watching television.

“Me.” Savannah pokes one arm out from under her blanket, raising it high enough she can snag a cookie from the tray as I pass. Taking a bite, she moans. “These are so good.”

“They should be. You taught me how to make them.” I’ve never been more grateful for the cooking skills Savannah taught me than I was when I brought Audrey and Coco home. They were both underfed and in need of the nourishment a home-cooked meal provides.

And I’m not just talking about calories.

Coco’s little nose lifts in the air as I reach where she’s curled on Audrey’s lap, her eyes lighting up when she sees me.

---