Page 52 of Edge

EVIE

Ididn’t want to leave Edge in the waiting room, but I desperately wanted to see Irene.

“Go,” he said when I hesitated.

Inhaling deeply, I nodded once and turned to follow Byte back to Irene’s room. He gestured for me to lead the way, but I shook my head. “I don’t think I can go first,” I admitted.

His eyes softened. “You don’t have to go first, but I need you to at least walk beside me so I can see you.”

“Oh,” I said. “Sorry, I’ve never had to…um, I’m not sure what to call it.”

“Be protected?”

“It seems weird to call it that, but I guess that’s what it is.”

“It is,” he said. “Just think of it like the buddy system. Don’t go anywhere alone. It doesn’t matter where you are or how safe you think it is, make sure one of the brothers is with you.”

“What about work?”

“We’ll figure out all the details later, but work won’t be a problem,” he said. I wanted to ask him to explain, but we had arrived outside Irene’s room.

He stepped inside first and immediately moved to the side so I could enter the room.

“Oh, thank goodness!” Irene said and placed a hand over her heart. “I’ve been so worried, and no one would tell me anything! What happened? Did he hurt you?”

“You’ve been worried? I thought you were dead!” I blurted, as tears of relief ran down my face.

She waved her hand dismissively. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” I countered. “You were unconscious and bleeding when I found you.”

She grimaced. “Okay, I’m a little banged up, but I’ll be okay. Now, tell me the rest of what I missed.”

“Have you said anything to the police?” Byte asked.

Irene shook her head. “I haven’t seen any to say anything to.”

“Good. When you talk to them, tell them what happened, but you don’t know who the man was or what he wanted. Give them a vague description of him,” Byte said.

“That won’t be hard. I don’t know who he was or what he wanted,” she said and furrowed her brow. “Why? Was I supposed to know who he was?”

I frowned and looked at my feet. I didn’t want to tell her the man who attacked her was my father and that he was there looking for me, but I knew I had to.

“He’s my father,” I blurted before I could chicken out. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know how he found me, but this is all my fault.”

Irene held up her hand to stop me. “Is he the reason you showed up in Cedar Valley looking for a job with a busted-up face?”

“Yes,” I said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

“Then I don’t want to hear any more nonsense about it being your fault. He’s the one to blame, not you,” she said and turned her attention to Byte. “What are you boys doing to make sure my girl is safe?”

Byte grinned. “You know I can’t tell you the specifics.”

“Listen here, if y’all don’t kill him, I will,” she said vehemently.

“I already knew that,” he said and reached out to place his hand on top of hers. “We’ll take care of it.”

“What about Evie?”