I stared at the note, the angry scrawl barely legible. Either it was someone else’s handwriting or the person responsible was losing it. I didn’t know which scenario was the better for us.

“Does it mean anything to you?”

Braiden’s lips pursed as he shook his head once. “Beware the fury of a patient man. What the fuck does that even mean?”

“It’s Dryden,” I stated.

“Excuse me?”

“John Dryden. He was an English poet.”

His eyebrow cocked. “How do you know this shit?”

“Unlike you, I actually paid attention in school.”

“So you’re telling me the guy leaving the notes is some brainbox I pissed off back in school?”

I choked out a laugh. It wasn’t funny, not really, but when he put it like that ... “No, dickhead, I’m saying whoever is behind this clearly wants to send a message.”

“He’s angry; well, bring it,” Braiden raised his voice, and a couple of kids looked over, alarm shining in their eyes. “At least, I can deal with anger. I don’t like this, the waiting, the notes. The not fucking knowing who we’re dealing with.”

He wasn’t the only one. I glanced around again. He could be out there, watching us. “We should get out of here. You’re sure Cara is safe?”

Braiden dragged his hand over his face. “It’s got to be the safest place for her, right? I told her to stick to class and public areas, and I’ll drive by later and get her when we have a plan.”

Guilt had eaten away a little more of my soul with each step out of the hospital—away from Ana—but for now, all I could think was at least she was safe. But was it enough?

“I’ve got to make a call,” I rushed out, fumbling in my pocket for my cell phone. Braiden’s eyes followed me as I walked away, probably wondering who I was calling.

Our past and present were about to collide once more.

~

“ANYTHING?” I SAID AGAIN, doubling back around the house.

“Nothing. I really don’t think he came up to the house.”

I shot Braiden a warning glare. This was my house. My home. The place I intended to raise a family. If whoever was after Braiden so much as stepped foot inside, then I wouldn’t be held responsible for my actions. Everyone had a line—and mine was Ana and my unborn daughter. Circling the house again, I checked every door, every window. Nothing seemed out of place, no lock or latch tampered with. No signs of forced entry. Nothing.

“Ana can’t come back here,” I said. It wasn’t directed at Braiden, but he answered anyway. “Don’t you think that’s a little bit—”

I ran at him, throwing him against the wall with my body, my arm pinning him across the throat. “I’m trying, really fucking trying, to stay calm, Donohue, but I swear to god if you play down this shit one more time, I will—”

He shirked me off, pushing me away. “I got it, okay? No need to go all schizoid on me.”

Jamming my hand into my hair, I tugged the ends in frustration. That was the thing—he didn’t get it. He couldn’t. I met his eyes and sighed. “If anything happens to Ana or my daughter, I will hold you personally responsible. Are we clear?”

“Crystal,” he said.

BRAIDEN

I held up my hands in surrender. Jackson had every right to lose it with me because I was the reason this was happening. Me and my fucked up past.

“I’ll leave,” I said calmly. It was the only solution I had right now. Hopefully, whoever was out there would take the bait and follow.

Jackson’s eyes shuttered as he shook his head. “It’s too late for that. Whoever’s doing this won’t stop until they catch up with you. We handle this together.”

Well, shit me. I didn’t deserve his alliance or his friendship. What I’d done to him and Ana back in Chastity Falls was unforgivable, but Jackson’s loyalty was unwavering.

Maybe it shouldn’t have been.

“I’ll call O’Connor. It’s time I faced my mess head-on.” I stared at the man I’d once called my best friend ... my brother. “I give you my word that I’ll do everything to keep Ana out of this. I promise.”

My word wasn’t worth much, but it was all I had.

“Call him. I need to take care of some stuff. And pack Cara a bag.”

“What?” I asked, unsure if I liked where this was going.

“Well, we can’t stay here.”

So where the fuck were we going?

~

“YOU’VE GOT TO BE SHITTING me,” I said under my breath as I watched Dennis Hayes push off Jackson’s truck and make his way over to us, his eyes set firmly on me. He pulled Jackson in for a hug and then turned. “Donohue, long time, no see.”

I looked at him and Jackson, wanting some answers, but I knew I had no right to ask. Jackson had called in someone he trusted to protect Ana. To protect his family.

And fuck, if it didn’t sting.

“Well, this is great and all, but is anyone going to introduce us?”

My head whipped around to Cara. “I thought I told you to stay in the car.” It came out more of a growl than I’d intended, and Cara rolled her eyes dramatically. She hadn’t appreciated us hanging around campus all day, trying to look inconspicuous. But now it made sense; Jackson was waiting for backup to arrive.

With a heavy sigh, she barged past me and extended her hand out to Dennis. “Cara O’Connor.”

“Dennis Hayes. I got to say you are nothing like I expected.”

“Should I be offended or flattered?”

He had the balls to look my girl up and down. A deep growl formed in my throat, but Jackson moved his hand to my stomach and shoved me hard. Dennis chuckled, and Cara turned around, her eyes landing on mine. I narrowed them at her, and she rolled her eyes again. “Seriously? We’re hiding from some psycho, and you’re going all caveman on me?”

“I—” My voice trailed off. She might as well have ripped off my balls and handed them to me.

“Oh, she’s exactly as you described. Gotta say, Donohue, never thought I’d see the day when you got put in your place by a woman.”

“Fuck off,” I grumbled. “Don’t we have somewhere to be?”

Cara came nestling into my side. The storm inside ebbed away, but it didn’t disappear. I wouldn’t let it. I had a feeling I would need it.

JACKSON

“I did not see that one coming,” Dennis mused as we drove to the motel. Braiden and Cara were following in their car.

“He’s changed. I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s the truth.”

“And Ana’s okay with this?”

My lips pressed into a flat line, and Dennis let out a low whistle. “She doesn’t know, and it needs to stay that way.” For now.

“Jackson, I don’t thi—”

My hand gripped the wheel tighter, turning my knuckles white. “Don’t, okay. I know it’s a shitty thing to do, but she’s already stressed out. This would push her over the edge, and I don’t want to risk her or the baby. We need to get this handled before the hospital releases her.”

It was the only option, wasn’t it?

“You know if he’d never come here, then this wouldn’t be happening, right? Bad shit follows him.”

“I know. Believe me, I know. But he’s changed.”

“So you keep saying,” he murmured.

We rode in thick silence for the rest of the short drive to the edge of town, and when we pulled into the motel, Braiden, Cara, and I waited while Dennis checked into using the fake ID I had him bring. I didn’t ask questions. He was still bound to a life I had been lucky enough to escape.

“Is this really necessary?” Cara piped up as we entered the room, and the three of us glared at her as she blew annoying bubbles with her bubblegum.

“Babe,” Braiden said, earning him an eye roll. “It’s only until we figure this out.”

“Fine.” She waved him off, moving to the bed. “Fine. Lips sealed.”

I grumbled under my breath. Most of the time, Cara was old beyond her years, and it was easy to forget that she was just a kid still. But sometimes, you got a glimpse into that side of her—like right now.

“So we’re good?” I looked at Braiden. “No heroics until I’m back.”

“Cross my heart.” He smirked, but when I narrowed my eyes, he nodded stiffly.

“We’ll see you later.”

“I’m sure you’ll find some way to keep yourselves entertained.” Dennis’s laughter followed me out of the room.

“I heard that, fucker,” Braiden’s growl permeated the door as it clicked shut behind us.

“So what’s the plan? Are you going to tell her?” Dennis rustled in his pocket for his keys as we walked to his truck.

Reaching for the door handle, I gulped over the lump in my throat. “I have no idea.”

~

CUTTING THE ENGINE, I let out a heavy sigh. “Wait here,” I said. “I need to talk to her first.”

He tipped his chin and leaned back against his head rest. I climbed out of the truck, my eyes sweeping the drop-off zone. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. We had nothing to go on; any of the guys I passed on my way through the hospital could have been him. And I was powerless to do anything about it. A shiver worked its way up my spine. I couldn’t think like that. I had to believe that Ana was safe here. Besides, it was the reason I’d asked Dennis to make the trip out here. If anyone could protect her, Dennis could.

“I hope you brought flowers, son, because you’re in trouble,” one nurse said as I approached Ana’s room.

“How long has she been awake?” I had a good idea since the first call came about two hours ago. But I’d ignored it, still unsure how much I would tell her. My preference was nothing, but Dennis was right—Ana had a right to know.

“Long enough.” The nurse shot me an amused smile, and I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“I’m heading in.” I sighed. If she intended to make me feel guiltier than I already did, she succeeded.

“Good luck.”

Ana’s eyes met mine the second I slipped into the room, and I halted, the flash of anger in her glare pinning me to the spot. “Where the hell have you been? And why aren’t you answering any of my calls? What is going on, Jackson, and don’t tell me nothing because I know—”

“Breathe,” I said calmly. Moving to her side, I sat down, taking her hand in mine. Her steely gaze stabbed at my heart like hot pokers.

“I’ll breathe when you tell me what the hell is going on. Talk, Jackson ...”

“I lied.”

“I know.”

Of course, she did. Ana knew me too well.

“You know I would never lie unless it was absolutely necessary, right?”

She nodded.

“Something came up.”

“Jackson,” she warned.

“I need you to trust me, okay? You need to focus on our baby.” I placed my hand on her stomach. “And you need to let me handle this.”

She considered my words. “How bad is it?”

“Honestly, we don’t know.”

“We?” Her eyes widened with realization. “You mean Braiden is—”

“We always knew this was a risk.”

“I swear to god if anything happens to you, I will kill him myself.”

“Ana ...”

Her grip on my hand tightened. “No, Jackson, listen to me and listen good. You go out there, and you deal with whatever shit he’s caused this time. End it for good. I do not want to bring our baby into a world where we are constantly looking over our shoulders. I won’t do it. She deserves more. We deserve more. Promise me, Jackson. Promise me this ends here. Promise me.”

Tears flowed down her cheeks, each droplet another crack to my chest. I didn’t know how this would all play out. The odds were stacked high against us, but it didn’t stop me from wrapping my arms around the woman I loved more than anything and making her a silent promise that I would end it. That, after this, we would be free of the past. Free to raise our daughter without looking over our shoulders, wondering when the next threat would come. Because as my hand smoothed over Ana’s rounded stomach, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I would do whatever was needed to keep my girls safe.

Whatever.