Chapter 5
KIRA
A gruff voice comes out of the darkness. “You’re having a nightmare. It’s okay. You’re safe.”
I open my eyes to a warm, dimly lit room, where the shape of a man comes into focus. His size is imposing, even as his words offer comfort.
A fuzzy memory surfaces. This man has been taking care of me. Multiple men, actually. They saved me.
A faint flutter low in my belly sends a wave of relief through me. They saved us.
“Are you okay?” The man crouches beside my bed. He’s big and bearded, with shaggy brown hair. His eyes are edged with worry, and his expression softens his husky voice. There are two other men behind him.
“I’m … I’m okay.”
“You were having a nightmare,” he says, “but you’re okay now.”
“Where am I?” I think they already told me, but I might have been dreaming.
One of the other men steps forward. He looks older than the others, solid and broad-shouldered, but not as massive as the first man. His face is clean-shaven, and his salt-and-pepper hair is trimmed close at the sides.
“You’re outside of Moon Ridge,” he says. “At our home and security compound. The three of us are security consultants. We found you in your car on our way back from the city last night.”
He pauses, giving me time to absorb the information, and I need it.
Security consultants? I don’t know whether to be relieved or suspicious. My sense of who I can trust has been shattered.
“I’m Atlas,” the man says. “Andrew O'Connell, but most people call me Atlas, and you can, too.”
He looks over at the other men, who are standing back a few feet. Atlas gestures to the one who’d been next to my bed when I woke up. “This big guy is Boyd Barrett, but he’s better known as Grizz.”
Grizz is enormous, his chest and shoulders stretching the fabric of his shirt. Even standing still, his powerful body seems capable of violence, but when he tips his head in a greeting, his rugged features are full of concern.
The third man is tall and leaner, with sharper features. A long beard frames his mouth and jaw. Intricate ink designs on his neck disappear beneath his collar. There’s an intensity about him that makes me look away.
“That’s Silas Mercer,” Atlas says. “He goes by Viper. I know it’s a lot to take in. Don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz later.”
His humor reassures me. If these men were sent by Preston, they wouldn’t be joking with me, would they? Or bothering with detailed introductions.
The way they look at me is nothing like Preston’s associates, either. I got used to seeing cold calculation in my fiancé’s circle, which I used to think was simply political ambition. Now I know better.
These strangers assess me with calm, professional focus. All three of them are older than me by at least a decade, I’d guess, judging by the varying amounts of gray in their hair and beards, and the lines on their faces.
Their clothing is rugged. Their flannel shirts and work pants seem better suited to outdoor adventures than legislative meetings or fundraising dinners.
The men seem respectful, and the way they keep their distance helps me breathe easier, but trust is a luxury I can’t afford when my life depends on staying hidden.
“I’m Kira. No nickname.” I’m thankful when they don’t ask for my last name.
“Good to meet you, Kira. Would you like something to eat?”
I don’t feel hungry, but I’m sure I should eat for the baby’s sake. Who knows how long it’s been. “I need to use a bathroom first,” I say.
“There’s one right around the corner,” Atlas says. “Get up slowly, and let’s see if you’re steady on your feet.” He stays nearby, ready to support me.
I push the blanket back and notice the long underwear I’m wearing. It’s warm and soft, though it hangs on my body, a couple of sizes too big. I’m assuming at least one of these men removed my wedding dress to change my clothes, and the thought of that makes me feel vulnerable.
Atlas offers a hand to help me stand, and I accept his help, because my body barely feels like my own. Once my feet settle onto the floor, I feel more stable. Various aches call for attention, but the need to relieve my bladder overrides everything else.
With the support of Atlas’s hand on my elbow, I make it to a nearby bathroom, where the light is already on.
“I’ll be right outside if you need help,” he tells me.
There are several bruises on me. Other injuries are covered by bandages. I’m not sure what’s from the accident, and what was caused by my fiancé-turned-stranger.
I’m relieved there are no visible injuries on my stomach. I felt another flutter while Atlas was introducing himself, and I think it’s a good sign. I sense that the baby’s okay, even though I can’t fully shake the worry.
There’s a mirror over the sink that’s hard to avoid as I wash my hands, and my reflection is a shock. Instead of even waves, my hair is now matted in parts, staticky in others. The thought of trying to work a comb through it makes me want to go back to sleep.
Most of my careful wedding makeup is gone. There are dark areas under my eyes that appear to be part mascara smudge and part fatigue.
The last time I looked at myself, I was pinning a veil into my hair, full of hope, buoyant, happy. Now I’m trying to survive.
As promised, Atlas is outside the door when I open it. I think I’d be okay without his assistance, but the gentle support of his hand is a much-needed comfort as he leads me back to the bedroom, where cushions have been added to the bed so I can sit up.
There’s a tray of food waiting for me. A steaming bowl of soup, toast neatly cut into triangles, and a small bowl of applesauce.
“Thank you for this,” I say in the direction of all three men. “And thank you for saving me.”
Atlas nods, a hint of a warm smile on his lips. The big man called Grizz ducks his head like he’s not used to accepting recognition.
Viper appears to be sizing me up and doesn’t acknowledge my comment. Instead, he asks, “Any bleeding?”
I’m caught off guard by the abrupt question, but I shake my head. “No, none that I can see. I didn’t check my bandages.”
His eyes are an unnerving pale blue, and they seem to almost look past me. “I meant between your legs. You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
I was about to get back into the bed, but I freeze. “How did you know that?” I’m barely showing, and my curvy build makes my emerging baby bump even less noticeable.
When Viper doesn’t answer, Atlas speaks up. “You were shielding your stomach in the crash.”
That hardly seems like evidence, and it flares my suspicions, but when I look down, I find my hand there now, fingers splayed, palm protectively cupping my midsection.
“No bleeding,” I tell Viper in a near whisper.
“Cramping?” He’s cool and clinical. I can imagine him as a doctor holding a clipboard, rather than a lumberjack-looking type in his denim and flannel.
I shake my head, relieved to confirm the absence of these symptoms.
“How far along are you?” Atlas asks.
“Four months. Everything was good at my last checkup.”
“Okay,” he says. “Is there someone in your family we should contact?”
“No, no family.” Preston was going to be my family. Preston. My veins turn to ice at the thought of him finding out my location. “You can’t tell anyone where I am.”
Joints crack as Atlas tilts his head to the side. His fingers curl into his palms. “What happened, Kira? Why were you running from your wedding?”
My gaze drops to my hand, where my engagement ring still circles my finger. So ostentatious. Even though it wasn’t my style, I’d thought the size of it was a representation of Preston’s love for me. Now I know it was only for appearances.
It feels heavy as a boulder.
The shock of what I overheard about assassination contracts and political corruption wars with disbelief that the man I was about to marry could be involved in such darkness. But the way he acted afterward eliminated the doubt I would have naturally had.
“I … I found something out that I wasn’t supposed to hear.”
Atlas’s brows lift, one of them arching, and I’m sure he’s about to ask for details, but I’m not saying anything else.
I don’t know if I can trust these men, and if I can, I don’t want to give them information that will put them in danger.
Even telling them who my fiancé was would be telling them too much.
“Can we talk more later? I’m hungry, and I’m tired.”
Viper frowns, but Atlas agrees. “Get some food in you. Is there anything you need?” When I shake my head, he says, “We’ll be nearby. Call out if you need us.”
The three of them leave, and then I’m alone with my thoughts. Not a pleasant place to be. I focus on my food, trying not to think about how the man who claimed to love me is the reason my jaw aches every time I take a bite of toast.
I eat slowly, and by the time I’m done, my eyes are heavy.
I drift in and out of sleep for another day or so, occasionally aware of the men checking on me, tending to bandages, bringing more food. I make trips to the bathroom on my own, but mostly I sleep, and when I can’t sleep, I lie awake, my mind spinning.
Atlas comes in with a shopping bag at one point, and I look up when I hear the paper crinkling.
“Roads were clear enough to go into town today. I got some clothes for you. We can get more things when you’re up to it.”
“You bought clothes for me?”
He unpacks his purchases and sets them on a chair, refolding some items so they stack neatly. “Pajamas, slippers, a couple of pairs of pants, and a few shirts. When you’re feeling up to a shower or bath, you’ll have something new to wear.”
“I’m doing much better. I’ll probably be ready to leave soon.” They’ve been wonderfully kind, but I figure they’re not planning on me moving in with them.
He stops mid-fold and turns more swiftly than I’d think a man his size could move. “Leave? Where are you headed?”
That’s an excellent question. “I’m not sure, but I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”
Atlas’s eyes, an attractive grayish-blue, search my face. “I know you’re not ready to talk about what brought you up into the mountains in the middle of a blizzard, but it’s clear you weren’t out for a joyride. If you’re in danger, we’ll keep you safe. You can stay here as long as you need.”
I blink at him, and don’t know whether to be wary or cry sweet tears of relief.
Is it possible that I ran from the worst moment of my life and ended up exactly where I needed to be?