Page 7 of Lily and her Mercenary (CHANGING OF THE GUARDS)

Ryker

“S eriously what the fuck is wrong with you Ryker?” Royal’s voice screamed into my ear as I stood in the hallway at the school board meeting. “Declan said to keep an eye on her, not engage with her at all. What part of the assignment did you not understand?”

I was half listening to him while my eyes were on Lily, sitting there with her hands folded in her lap.

The meeting had already started, and I watched as the board members glanced at her, murmuring among themselves.

“I understood all of it,” I finally said, still watching her. “I’m doing what needs to be done to keep her safe.”

Royal sighed, exasperated. “You’re getting too close. You know what Declan will say.”

“Declan has no say, considering he didn’t tell us a fucking thing,” I said, but the words felt wrong, hollow.

I hung up, running a hand through my hair. Inside the meeting room, Lily stood, facing the board with almost defiant determination. Her voice was steady as she explained the attack, the measures she had taken, and how the safety of her students was her priority.

“We appreciate your commitment, Ms. Andrews,” one of the board members said, steepling his fingers, “but given the current circumstances, we need to consider the liability.”

“I understand,” she said, but I could see the tension in her shoulders.

Another member, an older woman with a severe bun, leaned forward. “Who was the man with you?”

“Ryker,” she said, surprising me with how easily she claimed me. “He’s a friend. He saved those kids’ lives today.”

The woman frowned. “And what exactly does he do?”

Lily paused. I held my breath. “He’s... he’s protecting me,” she said finally.

There was a ripple of confusion around the table.

“From who?”

Her silence spoke volumes.

“We need to be assured of the children’s safety,” the first member said. “We think it might be best if you took some time away. For everyone’s sake.”

My jaw tightened as I watched her nod silently, her chin high, and all I wanted to do was slay her dragons for her.

“Very well,” she said. “I’ll take a leave of absence. But only until this situation is resolved.”

The board seemed relieved, dismissing her with polite but firm gestures.

I waited for her in the hallway. She stepped out, and the mask of composure slipped for just a moment. Seeing me, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders.

“You’re right,” she said, her voice resigned. “I need to disappear.”

“I have a place,” I said, keeping my voice low. “We can leave tonight.”

She looked at me, really looked at me, as if weighing everything that had happened. Then she nodded.

“Thank you,” I said, surprising even myself.

“For what?”

“For not giving them too much,” I said. “About me.”

“You’re the only one who’s told me anything so far,” she replied quietly.

I felt a pull in my chest, the same one that had started the first time she’d smiled at me over a vanilla latte. “Let’s get out of here,” I said.

After stopping at her place to grab a few things and her cat, we drove in silence, the city lights fading to darkness behind us. With each mile, the tension in her shoulders eased slightly.

“Where are we going?” she asked finally, her voice cutting through the hum of the engine.

“A cabin, about three hours from here,” I said. “No one knows about it except Royal.”

“And Royal is...?”

“My brother,” I said after a pause. “The one I pretended to be. The one who thinks I’ve lost my mind.”

She glanced at me, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Have you?”

“Probably,” I admitted. “But I haven’t lost sight of keeping you safe.”

She settled back into her seat, the unicorn blanket from the apartment draped over her lap. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Ryker.”

I laughed softly, a humorless sound. “So do I.”

We drove through the cover of darkness, past small towns and long stretches of dark highway. She fell asleep halfway there, her head resting against the window.

When we finally reached the cabin, I hesitated. It was a small place, tucked into the woods with just enough amenities to make it comfortable. But it was the first time I’d brought anyone here.

“Lily,” I said gently, touching her arm.

She stirred, blinking sleepily. “Are we there?”

“Yeah,” I said. “Welcome to our very own witness protection program.”

She looked around, taking in the cabin’s outline against the starlit sky. “This is yours?”

“Ours,” I said. “For now.”

I carried her bag inside, turning on the lights. She followed, her eyes wide as she took in the single room, the small kitchen, and the bed in the corner. It was cozy, but it was a far cry from her city apartment.

“It’s... secluded,” she said, and I couldn’t tell if she was relieved or unnerved.

“That’s the point,” I said, setting her things down. “No neighbors. No noise. No one to find us.” I pushed open a door beside the fridge. “It’s a far cry from a spa, but here is the bathroom.”

I watched her take it all in, wondering if she’d change her mind. If she’d decide this was too much, that I was too much.

But she just sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at me with those eyes that had seen through every one of my disguises. “How long do you think we’ll be here?”

“Hard to say,” I said. “Until I know it’s safe.”

She nodded, accepting that as her new reality. “And if it never is?”

I met her gaze, something inside me shifting again. “Guess you’ll be stuck with me.”

Her laugh was soft, genuine. “I guess so.”

I took a breath, feeling the weight of all the changes I’d made to be standing here with her. It felt right.

“Go to sleep,” I said, turning off the lights one by one. “We’ll figure it out in the morning.”

She lay down fully clothed, exhausted. I settled into the armchair by the window, watching the woods for any signs of movement.

My phone buzzed once, a message from Royal: You better not be dead.

Not yet, I thought, adjusting my position and smiling into the darkness.