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The first draw of cool air burns me where it should soothe, the place between my legs aching as I settle on the seat. The gears are rusty, the chain hitching. Cobwebs are tangled between the handlebars. Tase clearly hasn’t taken the bike out in a long time.

When was the last time he used this thing? Hell, at least it works.

Sweat trails along my spine as I ride down every road, retracing the route from yesterday. Rather than taking the road leading toward the cabin, I head to town. Working will help. It will file away the even rougher edges inside me and give me a focus, a direction.

I stash the bike beside Tase’s car, checking over my shoulders where shadows are too thick. Where someone might hide. There’s nothing here. Nothing to give me away, either.

I crack open the door and immediately freeze when afamiliar voice says from inside, “The cameras are installed. Fat fucking load of good it does when she’s holed up at your place, Doc.”

Jesus.

Soren is here. Why is Soren here?

Tase groans. “She was with me all night. No one was getting to her.”

“I’m not installing cameras at your place,” Soren argues. “It was hard enough to do the cabin and surrounding property.”

Someone else chuckles. Aiden’s here, too. Kill me now.

They’re having a meeting without me. Anger flickers. If they’re chatting about their next step, then I need to be in it. Because this is real.

“There’s a reason I don’t even have a Ring,” Tase replies. “Keep your cameras. But I’m not keeping my distance from her.”

“What, like you’re going to move into the cabin?” Aiden questions.

“You have a better idea?”

Enough. I’m going in. But when I pull the heavy door wider, it somehow slips out of my grasp and I’m caught off balance, falling and hitting my tailbone hard on the ground.

Soren suddenly looms over me, scowling. Heavy footsteps sound behind him, and a darker shadow falls across my face.

Tase crosses his arms over his chest. “Want to explain why you’re here and not where I left you?”

God, they’re intimidating when they’re angry. My stomach sinks immediately.

Then Aiden pushes past them both and gently helps me to my feet. “Are you okay?”

“She never fucking listens. Of course she’d be eavesdropping.” Soren pushes the door open in a clear demand to get-my-ass-inside. He glances over my head to the bike and grimaces. “Are you fucking kidding?”

Tase shakes his head. “We can’t effectively help you if you keep doing this kind of shit.” His lips tighten. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

His hard expression, his clipped words, confirms what I feared. Being with them has changed everything.

“It was always going to be complicated, baby, but the fact remains if you want us to keep you safe, then it’s got to start withyoukeeping yourself safe,” Aiden presses gently.

I hate his gentleness, too. I don’t deserve it right now.

Soren’s cell phone buzzes and he cuts off whatever he was about to say with a groan. “Goddamnit.” He’s got his phone in hand but rather than answer, he holds it out to me. “Tell her something to get rid of her.”

I blink at him. “What do you mean? Her who?”

“You can read. This is the third time she’s called.”

The name on the screen reads Kerrigan1. Has to be Suzanne. Because I’m willing to bet every penny in my savings that Soren has a god-awful nickname for Ma.

Apprehension washes over me as I take the phone in my shaking hand—seriously, will my body ever get out of flight mode?—and push the icon to answer.

“Hello?”