by Bright, Sera
I glared at him. What part of ‘no’ did he not understand? In front of my eyes, Ash’s transformed back to that flat expression from earlier. Unease went up my spine. I didn’t understand why he was acting so strange, but I couldn’t ask in front of the feds.
Studiously avoiding my confused gaze, he turned around to face them. Traitor. Reluctantly, I did the same. Fine. We could act like grown-ups and directly deal with our problems, but it would’ve been nice if he hadn’t made the choice for me before I was ready.
Standing on the sidewalk, a tall brunette woman with an athletic build faced us. Dressed in a black blazer and jeans, she possessed a confident aura. Obviously, she was the one in charge, and therefore, the one that was the most dangerous to me. At her side, she was flanked by two nondescript guys in white polo shirts. One guy was stocky with sandy hair, the other slimmer with a shiny shaved head. They all had badges hanging from chains from their necks and guns secured at their waists. The uneasy feeling snowballed into full-fledged anxiety. My hands tingled with pins and needles.
The woman took a step forward. Screw her compassionate smile. I didn’t trust her one fucking bit. “Katelyn, I know how hard this has to be for you.”
Clever. She was fishing to find out what I already knew. I wrapped my hand around Ash’s and said nothing in reply.
“What do you want?” Ash asked.
The woman briefly considered Ash, and then said, “Mr. Walker is working with us—”
“My father isn’t working with you,” I spit out. “He’s in trouble, isn’t he?”
Her eyes were shrewd on me now. “Yes.”
“Then my answer is no.”
I’d watched enough crime shows to know why they were here. U.S. Marshals had two main jobs. Hunt down people who committed federal crimes, or protect those who were in the witness protection program—and their families. And since I hadn’t gone on any crime sprees lately, my father was using his get-out-of-jail-free-by-getting-a-new-life card to drag me into living someone else’s life. I wasn’t going to continue to lie and hide for him. I was done with him. I squeezed Ash’s hand, uncaring if my nails were digging into his skin.
On the city streets, a motorcycle rumbled in the distance. The woman whipped her head in the direction of the noise.
“You didn’t answer the question,” Ash asked in a careful tone. “Why are you here?”
“We’ve been notified that there is a current active threat against Miss Walker’s safety, and she needs to come with us immediately.” She made a small motion with her hand to the men.
They couldn’t kidnap me just because of what my father said. How could they believe anything he told them? “I’m not interested in anything you’re offering. I’m over eighteen, I don’t have to go anywhere with you unless you arrest me.”
Could they put me under arrest to make sure I left with them? I internally cringed at the thought.
“We’re not arresting you, but we are taking you into temporary protective custody.” The bald guy came closer, his hand creeping behind his back.
Was he going for handcuffs? My whole body tensed up, instinctively ready to take off running.
“Stop it. Just—stop. You’re going with them.” Ash took me by the upper arms and looked me in the eye, his jaw taut. “It wouldn’t be for forever, it’ll probably be until everything is figured out with your dad.”
“You don’t get it about my father! I give in now, it’ll never end with him.” My heart leapt into my throat. Ash had said “probably.” He couldn’t use inexact words like that. I wanted to hear him give me solid promises and reassurances. I wanted him to back me up and tell them I wasn’t going anywhere unless we were together. “I don’t want to leave, I want to stay with you.” My heart was threatening to break out of my chest. “Unlock the door. We have to go inside, it’s late.”
Ash stared at me with all emotion wiped from his face. He’d already accepted what was going to happen. It was just me who was the last to catch on. All the joy I’d held on to from earlier dwindled to nothing.
“At least let me get my things first,” I pleaded, the blatant lie transparent to my own ears.
“It’s going to be fine, you don’t have to worry about anything.” The sandy-haired marshal was beside me, talking in a soothing voice that had the opposite effect on my nerves. “We’ll send someone to pick up your stuff, Miss Walker.”
“That’s not my name.” Why wasn’t he using my real name? I was Katie Flynn, not this Miss Walker person. She didn’t exist. “Don’t call me that.”
The marshal patted me awkwardly on the shoulder, a weak show of empathy. I stiffened and huddled closer to Ash. The tension in Ash’s body was evident as he laid an arm across my shoulders. The bald guy gently pulled my bag off my arm, taking away my lifeline. My ID, money, truck keys. And I didn’t stop him because I knew I’d lost. I couldn’t bluff or lie my way out of this. They’d trapped me. My worst nightmare come true.
“We know this is a big shock, but you’ll be safe with us,” the woman said.
Because they had badges and guns? How did that translate into safe? Based on the stark fear flooding my veins, it seemed pretty terrifying to me.
“You’re going to come back in a couple of days.” Ash suddenly snatched me up in a hug. “You heard them, they said this is just a temporary thing. I’ll be waiting here for you until you get back.”
He sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince me.
My knees weakened and I sagged against his chest. “But what if it isn’t a few days?”
“The world can’t be that fucking unfair.” He smoothed a shaking hand over my hair. “I promise you, we can figure this out. But right now you need to go with them. Whatever is going on with your dad has to be serious, Katie. They wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t.”
A second passed and then the bald guy cleared his throat. Why couldn’t they give us more time? We needed so much more time than this. Someone took me by the arm as Ash released. All my protests died in my throat as they led me to one of the waiting vehicles. With each step, my fears built up higher and higher to a screaming crescendo.
No one was acting like this was a temporary. If the threat was bad enough for them to follow us in the middle of the night, it wasn’t going to be over in a few days. It may never be over, and this would be my life. Running and hiding. Always lying. What was the point of planning for a future when it was going to be constantly derailed when I least expected it?
The bald guy had disappeared with a slamming of a car door. He pulled the first SUV around and waited next to the second one. The woman held the passenger door open with that damn compassionate smile of hers. She had to be faking it. I was part of the job, someone else’s problem to solve.
Before climbing in, I glanced over my shoulder at Ash for the last time. In the fluorescent light of the doorway, he rubbed the back of his neck, rocking back on his heels. He wouldn’t—he couldn’t look my way. His distress was palpable from the distance separating us, and there was nothing I could do about it. The same way there was nothing he could do for me.
A sense of irrational betrayal sliced through my chest. He’d lied to me. He’d said he would never let me go again, and that’s what he just did. Maybe that’s why I loved him so much. A liar could only love another liar.
About the Author
When I’m not plotting elaborate world-dominating schemes in my head, I’m having a fabulous time with my own story of a life. Three amazing kids, two useless but fluffy cats, and one so very patient husband help keep me grounded every day. We currently live in the mountains of the West Virginia.
An avid reader of all genres, I shamelessly admit romance will always be my favorite. And while I enjoy the safe and familiar, I'm always up for an adventure. Want to come along?
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