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“Kay,” he said, reaching over and placing his hand on top of mine. “It was only a few weeks back that you wouldn’t go out on your own. What makes you think that this will be any different?”

My nostrils flared as I listened to him. I couldn’t believe that he’d said that in front of everyone.

I wasn’t stupid, I knew that they had suspicions about me not going off the compound but they didn’t know for sure, at least they didn’t until this moment.

“Tyson.” I gritted out. His eyes widened at the use of his full name. “Have you trained me in self-defense?”

“Ye-”

“Do I have a radio and weapons?”

“Yeah but-”

“No buts. I can do this. You need to trust me.” I kept my eyes connected to his, trying to get my point across. I needed to do this, he had to let me be me again. The me I was becoming before everything happened.

He blew out a big breath and watched me, his eyes scanning my face. I knew he could see it in my eyes, I was practically screaming it at him. Was I scared to go out on my own? Damn straight I was but if I didn’t start now, then when would I?

Before I knew it, it would be ten years down the line and I still wouldn’t be able to go anywhere without one of them with me.

I didn’t want to live like that.

“Fine,” he conceded. “You’ll do nine until three, then one of us will take over from you. Six hour rotations,” he said the last part to everyone, waiting for their nods of confirmation.

Putting a plan in place, I wrote down everything that he said and planned the routes in

my head. I didn’t allow myself to feel the fear that desperately wanted to overtake me. Instead, I got stuck in with what I needed to look out for and what photos I might need to take.

I’d hardly slept at all last night. I couldn’t stop thinking of Kay being out of the compound on her own. Rationally, I knew that she would be fine, I had trackers on her and on the cars, but I couldn’t quieten that little voice in my head that told me this wasn’t a good idea.

That she was going to get hurt.

When Kay left to take Eli to preschool on her own, I headed straight for the warehouse and to my desk. I switched the computer on and tracked her all the way there, then to Daley’s house. I’d toyed with the idea of following her there and watching her as she watched him. Then I remembered that Charlie was coming in this morning so I had no choice but to let her do it on her own.

I knew it sounded stupid but I just had this feeling in the pit of my stomach. I’d never worried about anyone the way that I worried about Kay. Maybe it was because I’d seen her get hurt and couldn’t bear to see her like that again.

Whatever it was, I couldn’t stop worrying about her. I knew Eli was safe. I had all the security measures in place at the preschool that I could possibly have. But Kay? She had no protection around her whatsoever.

I was going out of my mind.

It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her because I did, I really did. I just hated the thoughts that ran through my head; all the possibilities of what could happen to her if I wasn’t there.

“Boss! Charlie’s here!” Evan shouted through the warehouse. Shaking the thoughts from my head and looking at the screen one last time, I shoved my chair back.

They were all sat around the meeting table waiting for me when I walked out of the office. My eyes flicked to Kay’s seat and my stomach dipped. It didn’t feel right, her not being here.

“Hey,” Charlie greeted when I sat down.

“Hey,” I huffed, slumping down in my seat.

“Whoa, little bro, what’s with all the enthusiasm?”

“He’s stressing out,” Kitty spoke up. “Kay’s gone out on her own.”

“Holy Fuck.” I lifted my eyes to Charlie. “Never thought you’d let her out on her own, on the account of…you know.”

“Let’s get this over with,” I growled, I wasn’t in the mood to hear all of his sarcastic remarks. “What have you found out?”

“Nothing much.” He shrugged. “Serena has been doing charity work since she moved out of the state. Nothing suspicious so I think she’s just caught up in the cross hairs with whatever is going on here.”