“You know you don’t have to make it a thing,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

“Me getting shot. I only did what you would have.”

“I just…” Like with Lake, I couldn’t think of the right words to say. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”

“You still believe you have to fight the bad guys alone, but you wouldn’t be alive without us and vice versa. Taking that bullet for Lake was like me taking it for you, too. I’d die for you any day, precious.” I sent him a nasty look when he reached out to touch my cheek, and he dropped his hand.”

“I just need you to stay alive. You have too much to live for to go dying for me. When will you be discharged?”

“Should be tomorrow and then six weeks of taking it easy. At least I’ll be strong enough to hold my son when he arrives.”

I clapped him on the shoulder and stood to leave.

Lake was back in the waiting room, sitting with Kennedy as she toyed with the table again while Sheldon and Willow talked about the baby. I had enough of listening to that when Sheldon was pregnant with Ken. I walked over and lifted Lake from her seat. “So, back to California?”

“Not yet. There are people that want to meet you.”

I scrubbed my hand down my face and tried to stifle my aggravation.

“I don’t want to meet anyone. I just want to take you home and forget the past two weeks happened.”

“And you will, but there are some people you might need to talk to. I think they can answer some questions.”

“They. They. They. Why the mystery?”

“Because I think you need to hear it from them.” She smiled, but I didn’t return the favor.

What the fuck was she trying to do to me?

“Please,” she said picking up on my irritation. “Just trust me.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

LAKE

ONE WEEK AGO

After giving my account of the shooting and the kidnapping and the events leading to the death of one man—because Greg just refused to die—I was taken in but not before making sure the girls… and Ryan were all safe. His mother came home and threw a screaming fit about the state of her house but that was all right, too. I had the proof to clear Keiran and me. Greg was read his rights and taken to the hospital by ambulance.

The first rough patch didn’t come until Cassie and Maddie were taken into CPS custody while their mother recovered from physical abuse and drug abuse. I was told I wouldn’t be allowed to see them.

I then phoned Thompson, who informed me he wouldn’t be able to fly in until he wrapped up a high-profile case at the end of the week. To make things worse, he advised me not to contact Keiran.

“We have a real chance of having the charges dropped for good. We wouldn’t want to set him off now,” was all the reason he’d given when I’d asked why.

Once I left the police station, I called Keenan who had been blowing up my phone nonstop since the kidnapping. After he had calmed down, he barked an order to stay put so he could pick me up. Since Dash had been shot here in Summit’s hospital garage, Keenan was able to get to me quickly.

“This is all so fucked,” he breathed after I repeated the story to him. He took in my appearance and agreed to take me back to Six Forks where I could shower and rest. He told me Kennedy was staying with a neighbor to watch over her since Sheldon’s parents were out of the country. I was thankful I was able to stop Greg before I led him here to look for money that didn’t exist. At least not in a safe.

It was late, but once he dropped me off with the order to rest, he picked up Kennedy, thanking the neighbor, and then took the four-hour drive back to Summit, leaving Ken with me. I thought he was crazy, but I knew he wouldn’t stay away from Sheldon when she needed him. I put Kennedy to bed and took a long hot shower before finding one of Keiran’s old tees and crawling into his old bed. I remembered so many things about this bed—some terrifying and others exhilarating. I drifted off to sleep thinking about my younger, tortured Master.

The next morning, I borrowed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt from Sheldon and then fed Kennedy while answering a million and one questions ranging from the whereabouts of her parents and how long I can hold my breath underwater.

I was finally able to hustle her out the door but was stopped short by an elderly couple on the front porch. They were looking around as if lost before settling their gazes on me simultaneously.

“Uh, hi. Can I help you?”

“Oh, dear, I think we have the wrong house,” the lady spoke up. “I’m Wendy and this is my husband, Daniel. We’re just looking for our grandsons. Could you help us?”