Chapter 48 Carter
Carter
The SUV climbed into the mountains, headlights cutting through mist that clung to the pines. The city was long behind us, swallowed by distance and silence, but my pulse hadn’t slowed. Not when Harper’s head rested on my chest, her body pressed against me like I was the only anchor she had left.
We pulled off the main road, tires crunching gravel, until a cabin came into view—a squat shape tucked into the trees, dark and unremarkable. Perfect.
Cyclone killed the engine. “No neighbors for miles. Only one road in, one out. Tight perimeter.”
“Good,” I said, already scanning the treeline, my instincts running hot.
River and Gideon moved fast, sweeping the cabin. By the time I took Harper inside with my rifle slung over my shoulder, the lights were on and the place was cleared. Four rooms. Heavy shutters. A back exit into the forest. Not ideal, but it would do.
My hand lingered at Harper’s waist longer than I should have. She glanced up at me, her eyes tired but fierce, and I knew she understood. This wasn’t just a hideout. It was a line in the sand.
“Harper takes the bedroom at the back,” I ordered, already moving. “One door, one window. I’ll be in the hall. No one gets through without me knowing.”
River gave me a look—half approval, half concern—but didn’t argue. Gideon started setting sensors on the doors and windows, silent efficiency in every motion. Cyclone disappeared outside with a duffel, stringing motion cams along the treeline.
I checked each lock, each angle of the cabin, until my chest eased only a fraction. Then I went back to her.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her bag at her feet, her hands folded in her lap. When her eyes found mine, they were soft, steady, and full of something that damn near undid me. Trust.
“This isn’t forever,” I told her, crouching in front of her, my voice low and rough. “It’s just until I end this.”
Her hand slid into mine, trembling but sure. “As long as we’re together, I don’t care where we are.”
The words hit like a blade and a balm all at once. I lifted her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.
“You’re safe now,” I said, and for the first time in hours, I almost believed it.
Almost.
Because in the back of my mind, I knew the truth: we weren’t hiding. We were waiting. And when they came for her again, I’d be ready.