Page 45 of Every Sunset

ANNA

“Let him go, sweetheart. He’s gonna be fine,” Logan told me, not for the first time.

I had been doing nothing but holding my son in any way I could since the moment I saw him that morning.

It was his first day at his new high school, now that the summer vacation was over, and I was terrified to let him out of my sight.

There had been no sign of Callum anywhere in town or near the guys house since that day almost a week ago that I had seen the monster lurking outside of the hardware store.

Logan and Madd had spread the word amongst their friends in town, and the picture they pulled from Neil’s surveillance cameras, and asked everyone they knew to be vigilant and contact them if Callum was spotted anywhere.

Madd had also been checking the cameras, which he’d already had set up outside of the house, recording down over the road that led right past the front gates, almost hourly, and there had been no sign of Callum anywhere, and no sightings of him in the town either.

That was why we had all agreed when Max had all but begged to be allowed to start school all week long.

It seemed foolish to make him miss out on starting the year with his classmates when there really seemed to be no danger to worry about.

Of course, we’d still taken precautions.

Logan and I had a meeting with the school principal on the Friday before to discuss our fears.

Logan had told the principal that I had an ex who was stalking me, which was pretty close to the truth.

The principal had been supportive and accommodating, happily assuring us he would make all of Max’s teachers aware, and promising us Max was secure on school grounds throughout the day.

Now, as I sat clutching onto Max in the back seat of Madd’s truck, I could see the principal stood out front of the school waiting to walk Max into the building, as he had promised he would do every morning until the threat was over.

But despite the principals reassurances, and those of Logan and Maddox too, I was still regretting ever agreeing to Max starting school.

It didn’t matter to me that Callum seemed to have disappeared.

He’d been there that day over a week before for a reason, and he wasn’t just going to walk away without confronting me, or Max, or whatever else he had come to do to the both of us.

I couldn’t stand the risk I knew I was taking by letting Max out of my sight.

“Mom. Logan’s right. You know I’m gonna be safe in there, and I already promised I won’t leave the building until Madd or Logan come to collect me. I have to do this. I don’t want to spend any more time hiding or being scared,” Max told me as he pulled himself from my arms and studied me too hard.

“I know. I’m sorry. I just hate this,” I sniffled as I wiped furiously at the tears in my eyes.

I didn’t want them to fall, and for my son to see me breaking apart all over again.

That was pretty much all he had seen me do in recent weeks, and it was why he always looked to me with instant concern instead of a smile now. I missed his smile.

“We all hate it, baby, but Max is right. You guys can’t just hide from this fucker forever. We have to work together to keep you safe and allow you to try and go on as normal, as much as possible,” Madd spoke up from where he sat in the driver’s seat.

“I have to go, mom, or I’m gonna be late for my first class,” Max reminded me.

“Okay,” I nodded. “Yeah, of course. You should go, but please just be safe though, okay?”

“I promise, mom.”

“Call us right away if anything happens, or even if you just feel uneasy about anything,” Maddox added.

“I will. Jesus. Don’t you two fucking start,” Max groaned.

“Max! Language!” I scolded, but Max just laughed as he opened the back door of the car and jumped out, slamming it closed behind him.

“Do you really th…” I began, but Logan cut me off.

“Yes, Anna. We’re sure. He’s safe. He’ll be fine,” he told me.

I sat back in my seat again and pulled on my seatbelt as Maddox started to turn the car around.

As desperate as I was to stay right there in the high school parking lot, as close to my son as I could be, I knew I couldn’t.

Max would kill me for the embarrassment I would cause him.

I knew I had to trust that my son was safe.

We’d done all we could to ensure it was so.

Now I just had to believe in my own decision to trust in others, especially Logan and Madd when they had told me Max would be protected.

I did trust them, I reminded myself – Maddox and Logan.

I didn’t question that decision in my head any longer.

They had proven to me again and again in the weeks that I had known them that they would never do anything that would hurt or endanger Max or I.

They had told me they had feelings for me – hell, they’d told me they loved me, and I already knew I loved them too.

I may not have known them for very long, but I had been falling for the both of them since the moment I met them, and no attempt to fight those feelings had succeeded.

The feelings between the three of us were too strong to fight, or ignore.

I had been intimate with both of them now. Maddox and I had slept together several times since that first desperate night, and I usually ended up asleep in his bed, or with him in mine.

Things with Logan seemed to be moving slower between us, and I knew that was because Logan was holding back with me, probably for my benefit – because he feared I wasn’t ready for more between us, but I was.

I was so ready to step things up with him too.

Even in all of the chaos around me at that time, just being close to Logan or Maddox could soothe my fears and frazzled nerves and bring me calm and peace I had never known.

I liked to think that I gave them a similar feeling when we were together.

I had noticed the way they each seemed to relax more, or breathe a sigh of relief when we touched, or kissed, even if it were just a quick peck between us.

I felt like I was always meant to be with them, and so my doubts about them were long gone, and they had my unquestioning trust.

“Anna?”

“Huh?” I lifted my head in surprise and looked to the front of the car. I hadn’t realized how lost I had become in my thoughts.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Logan asked gently.

“Nothing.” I gave my head a shake to clear it. “I was just thinking about us, all of us, and how far we’ve come since I met you. I was terrified of the both of you in the beginning.”

“We noticed,” Madd laughed.

“You were brave to stand up to us both the way you did, especially after what you’d been through. Just reinforces what we always knew – that you’re a tough cookie,” Logan added.

“Our tough cookie,” Madd corrected him.

“I might be yours, but I’m far from tough. I have no idea why either of you put up with me and my hysterics,” I sighed. “But since neither of you seem in any hurry to be rid of me, I’m not letting either of you go either.”

“Hey, we talked about this,” Madd scolded me, and when I glanced to him he was watching me in the rearview mirror with that intense look in his eyes. “Stop talking like that. There’s nothing wrong with you, baby. You’re perfect and you’re ours. We’re not going anywhere.”

“How about we all spend some time together today while Max is at school?” Logan suggested.

“Good idea brother. We could all do with having some fun for a change,” Madd heartily agreed.

“What would you like to do, sweetheart?” Logan asked me as he turned in his seat to look at me again.

“Could we go down by the water when we get back to the house? I got used to going out there, and I’ve missed it this week,” I told them.

It had been amazing in almost every way to be staying in the big house with the guys, not least of which because I could relax a little when we were all there together, knowing Max and I weren’t alone if anything happened.

It was also a truly beautiful home to live in, and with the four of us there, it had been filled with noise and laughter, which I’d never really had before, and had discovered I loved.

But I did miss my little cottage at the end of the garden.

Even though we’d only lived there briefly, it had been the nicest home Max and I ever had, and it too had been beautiful, cozy, and so comfortable.

It had also allowed me to be so close to the calm and peace that the water could offer me, and the small and tranquil beach that had been just a very short walk behind our cottage.

I missed going out there to do yoga, or even just to think when everything became too much for me.

“Sure sweetheart, I think we can manage that,” Logan agreed.

“We could pack up a picnic to take with us. Spend the day out there. It’s gonna be pretty warm today and it’s years since I had a swim in the lake,” Madd added.

“Swimming?” I laughed. He was right, it was a warm day, but summer was beginning to pass, and the long, hot days were over. There was already a chill in the air now, even though the sun still shone. “You’re crazy. That lake’s gonna be freezing,” I laughed.

“It’s still summer!” Madd protested.

“Barely. Just so you know there’s no way I’m donning my swimsuit.

It’s too cool,” I told them both firmly, but I was smiling and feeling relaxed again.

They did that for me – Madd and Logan. They made everything seem so much better just by being near me.

Just one smile from them and my worries started to ease.

One touch and I felt safe. They could make me smile when I was sure there was nothing but darkness before us, and make me laugh even when things were terrifying.

I had no idea if those things were a part of what made you love someone, but those things definitely added to the many reasons that I loved the both of them.

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