Page 95 of Keep This Promise
“What is Spencer going to do? He’s not a police officer, is he?”
Holden smirks. “No, he’s better than that. Spencer trained with the Navy SEALs for a while, and he is just as deadly, if not more so, than the cops. I trust him, and he will protect you until I can get something else in place.”
“Okay,” I say before blowing out a slow breath to try to calm myself. “I just can’t help feeling like the world beneath us is shifting.”
“It always is, but I have to go work and then meet with the attorneys to go over my testimony. I think Emmett was right when he said this probably doesn’t have anything to do with you.” He cups my cheeks and brings his lips to mine. Just that brief kiss helps ease my nerves. “Either way, there are cameras, the alarm system, and Spencer. Nothing is going to hurt you.”
He can’t promise that, but I appreciate the effort he’s made thus far. “I’m also worried about you.”
When he walks out of here, if this is about him, then what? He could be run off the road or attacked at the hospital. I don’t want to be paranoid, but there is so much uncertainty in our lives. If we had some answers, maybe I wouldn’t be so worried. We’d have a starting point, but right now, we have nothing.
He pulls me into his arms, and I melt. “I can take care of myself. It’s you I worry about. I don’t want to go back to a life before you, Sophie.”
“I don’t either.”
“Good. I’ll call you when I get to the hospital, okay?”
I can’t really ask for more than that. “All right.”
He gives me another kiss, and then Eden runs in. “Are you leaving?”
“I am. Be good and make sure you eat whatever Mummy tells you.”
She twists her torso and smiles at him. “Then can I have ice cream?”
He laughs and taps her nose. “We’ll see.”
Eden wraps her arms around him and squeezes. “I’ll miss you, Holden-Daddy.”
Holden and I just stare at her for a frozen moment, and then he clears his throat. “I’ll miss you more, bug.”
After he hoists his backpack over his shoulder, he winks at me and blows a kiss to Eden. “I’ll see you girls later tonight. Be good!”
I watch out the window until he pulls out of the driveway and then Eden tugs on my hand. “May I watch a show, Mummy?”
“Yes, sweetheart. I need to go make a phone call, so stay in the living room.”
“Okay.”
I debated making this call last night, but I wasn’t left alone long enough to do it. I go back in my bedroom and dial the number for emergencies only.
“Sophie, are you okay?” Jackson asks as soon as the call connects.
“I don’t know. Someone was in the house.”
He sighs. “I heard. It was my fault it happened. Zach had to return to Michigan, and my other guy couldn’t get out there until today. It has been quiet since you got there, so I didn’t think it would be an issue. Miles is still there, he sent me footage of the person who entered the property, and our technical team is running recognition, but the guy was smart and really hid himself well.”
“Did Miles see him?” I ask.
“He caught him coming out of the house and chased him to a car, but he couldn’t catch him. We are running all the information but haven’t pulled anything up yet. I have sent a third person out to Rose Canyon, and if Holden does what I think he will, I’ll be there soon as well.”
That confuses me. “What will Holden do?”
Jackson chuckles. “Ask me to come out. If he or Emmett do, it’ll actually make it far easier to protect you and Eden. I’d also be able to have a larger contingent of guys assigned to you.”
“Is that not going to draw more attention to us?”
“Yes, but at this point, I think it’s more of a risk not to have a security team presence. Even though there has been nothing before now that would indicate any trouble for you, we can always allow everyone to believe we’re there for Holden’s security. Now, tell me what you know from last night.”
