Page 49 of Guarded Knight

“And…” Confusion paints her features. “He’s threatening…” she reads into it the same way I did, “…us?”

She looks at me, not just for answers, but for reassurance, and I’ve never hated myself more for not being able to give either.

Freya steps closer, still hugging her arms across her chest. “I don’t understand how Cameron could have been here. When?”

Lara turns toward her. “Were you home all afternoon?”

“Most of the time. I did go grab some coffee and ran into Kat, Theo, and Owen there, so we chatted for a while. Not long.” Her voice wavers, and uncertainty flashes across her eyes. “I… I locked the door. I swear I did.”

Footsteps thunder up the stairs to the apartment.

The door bursts open, and Anton barrels in, gun drawn, gaze scanning the apartment before he even speaks. He clocks the smoke in the air, the busted mug on the floor, the note still clutched in Lara’s hand.

“What the hell happened?” He conceals his weapon again when he sees I don’t have mine drawn.

Freya tries to explain but falters on her words. “There was smoke. Something exploded. Lara…”

He’s at her side instantly, checking her over like she’s made of glass. “You hurt?”

“We’re not staying here,” I say flatly.

Anton glances over. “You think it’s still dangerous?”

“Lara can’t stay with this shit in the air.” I turn to her, wanting to pull her into my arms. Wanting to tell her to get out and I’ll pack her shit up for her. But it’s too much. “Pack some overnight things. Let’s get out of here quickly before it makes you any worse.”

Freya stiffens, and Anton senses her concern.

“You’re coming, too,” he says, somewhere between asking and commanding.

I’m not so fond of Anton’s invitation, given the unanswered questions about how that some bomb got in here, with Freya gone for only a short time… but I’m not a total dick, so she needs out of here, too.

Freya appears just as rattled as Lara right now.

But is it an act?

Lara is a good judge of character, and the way she acted when I simply asked if Freya might hand over a key told me she trusts Freya.

But someone timed that bomb down to the minute. Someone knew exactly when Lara was getting home… maybe even tracking her. I know Lara shares her location with Freya…

But what reason would Freya even have to help Cameron? Are they secretly involved? Or is there someone else like Anton suggested, as in some third party?

Lara would flip if I suggested any of this if the key question sent her barreling toward the bar. She won’t believe there’s a chance in hell Freya could have let Cameron in here. Or anyone else…

Chills skate up my spine. I never wanted to even consider someone else.

I’m suffocating under questions, and Lara’s safety is more important than any of it.

Lara can’t stay here tonight.

Not with the air like this. Not with unseen danger.

And not when the problem might already be inside.

13

The smoke tookhold in the type of lung pain I’ve not endured for a long time. When we got to Monarch Hills, I was still coughing, and Gabriel insisted I lie down in his room and left me alone, only stopping by twice with soup and tea. And then, either I was low on oxygen or passed out once the adrenaline left my system, I slept like the dead.

Gabriel is outside his bedroom door when I finally open it in the morning. He’s sitting with his long legs in front of him in a pair of low-slung gray sweatpants and no shirt.