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“What didn’t you tell me this morning?” I asked, ignoring her attempt to play nice. “You were going to say something, but didn’t. Not after you looked at Dominic.” I stared hard at her. “If there’s a way to stop them, I have a right to know.”

“But do you want to know?” Anna’s smile was barely more than a grimace and it stopped me cold. “You keep insisting you don’t want to know. You can’t pick and choose, Jess. It’s all or nothing, and in this instance it’s going to be nothing.” I sat back, startled by her hard tone. “Sometimes, it doesn’t affect just you, and if things were different…..” She trailed off and I bit back my instinctive desire to ask what things.

She was right.

I was burying my head in the sand, quite intentionally, and would continue to do so as long as I could. I’d felt the pull at lunch, a connection so strong it had the potential to change the course of my life. I wasn’t ready for that, and would fight it as long as I could.

“You’re right,” I finally answered, flipping open my book, thumbing through the pages blindly. “There are things I don’t want to know and I appreciate you respecting that.” I paused my rapid flipping as she reached over and squeezed my hand.

“We’ll keep you safe,” Anna murmured, withdrawing her hand as she opened her own notebook. I nodded, knowing they would, but wishing desperately that they didn’t need to.

The drive home was silent, each of us lost in our own thoughts and when we arrived, Caleb and Anna surprised me by getting out too.

“We’re going to go home from here. Cut through the woods,” Caleb explained, nodding to a faint trail right at the edge of the forest. They were gone before I could even acknowledge him and when I glanced at Dominic, he shrugged.

“It’s faster than the road,” he clarified as I shifted awkwardly on the ground next to his huge Jeep. His next words relieved some of the anxiety I hadn’t wanted to admit to. “Nobody showed up here. We’ve kept watch. Your Dad is home. You should be fine.” I nodded in appreciation, as the question I wanted to ask stuck in my throat. I closed my eyes and backed up a step, losing my nerve. “The only way to truly stop them is to kill them,” he stated without preamble and my eyes shot open. It was like he’d read the question straight from my mind. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly and I steeled myself for one of his terrifying smiles, but it dropped just as quickly. “Anna mentioned your earlier conversation.” My nose twitched as I tried to figure out when she could have mentioned it since we’d all been together since I’d spoken to her. I gave up when he shifted, his t-shirt pulling taut across his bicep as he gazed down at me. “I don’t relish killing a man, but I will to keep you safe.”

A completely inappropriate thrill zipped down my spine at his words, his matter of fact tone leaving no doubt he meant what he said.

I gathered my crazy thoughts as I shook my head.

“I’d rather you not have to do that,” I finally managed, clearing my throat. He snorted softly at my answer, shaking his head.

“Yeah, me either but it’s still better than the alternative,” he replied, his glance cryptic. I struggled briefly with the thought that there was more to his answer, but finally gave it up.

“Thanks for the ride,” I said instead, stepping back far enough I could close the door.

“Same time tomorrow,” he told me right before I slammed the door shut and he drove off.

I hadn’t stepped two feet in the apartment before he pounced on me.

“Making friends, I see.”

I shrieked so loud I hurt my own ears, and whirled around in time to see Dad wince. I clapped my hand over my thundering heart and gave him a withering glare.

“Don’t sneak up on me!”

“Who else would it be?” He asked, holding up his hands.

“A bad guy?” I offered, still trying to get my racing heart under control. There had been way too many terrifying moments in my life recently. “Geez Louise, Dad. I think you took off five years.”

“I think you took them off me too, and I don’t have that many left, Bunny,” he retorted, heading to the kitchen island.

“Please, you’ll outlive us all and, Jess, remember?”

He frowned at my reminder to give up the old nickname and then ignored me to go back to his earlier remark.

“You making friends?”

“I guess you could say that,” I answered, going to the fridge, and missing his glance at my doubtful tone.

“You don’t sound too sure.”

“They’re nice, but I’m not here to make friends, Dad.”