Page 9 of The Bodyguard's Fall

I tiptoed down the stairs and jolted at the sight of a male body waiting at the locked glass doorway, staring inside.

Once my brain recognized Will, dressed in dark jeans and a black hoodie, my body relaxed. The porch light outside highlighted Will’s disheveled blond hair as a breeze picked at it slightly.

He gave me a wry smile when I came to the door, as though us meeting in the middle of the night was completely normal.

“Still late as usual, even under duress,” he remarked, pulling the two duffel bags off my shoulders and heaving them onto his.

“I kind of wanted to see if you could actually break down that door.”

“Child’s play,” he remarked breezily. “I see you brought two bags. What all did you pack in here?”

“All my boy band posters. If this place goes up in flames, then my collectables have to come with me.”

He snorted as he led us toward a black, unmarked police car.

“Where are your lights?” I asked as I settled into the passenger side.

“Your extremely awesome brother just got promoted to detective. It comes with a less flashy ride.”

“What?!” I gasped and leaned across the console to give him a hug. “That’s amazing. Congratulations.”

He palmed my forehead and pushed me away. “Thanks.”

I locked the doors the moment we were settled. He started the car and began backing us out of the driveway.

“So…where are we headed?” I asked. “A safe house somewhere, I assume.” I had stayed in a safe house once in Montpelier. Just for a night, before I moved into my current apartment. It hadn’t been ideal, but I’d already pretty much resigned myself to this fate.

There was a slight hesitation before he responded, “Yup.”

I shot him a look, waiting for him to expound.

He gave another long pause before he said, “Autumn Ridge.”

I stilled. My stomach clenched tight as I processed this information. I had zero problem with my hometown, other than the fact that we had no family there anymore. In the years after my parents’ divorce, my dad had relocated to New York and my mom to Arizona. Will and I had been the only two who stayed when we both moved to Montpelier years ago. Since then, I’d never had a reason to go back.

“Where’s the safe house in Autumn Ridge?”

Will rubbed the back of his neck, carefully checking his rearview mirror before answering.

“For you, it’s on the Walker Farm.”

I blinked. The Walkers? As in…The Walkers? As in Tate Walker’s family?

“What? Why?” I demanded.

“Some of their boys are home for a while.”

My suspicion meter crept higher. “Who?”

“Who what?” he asked, all innocence.

“WHO is home?”

“Jaxon and Luke.”

I kept my focus on him, waiting for him to say it. He didn’t. “Tate still lives in Burlington, right?”

He paused slightly before he said, “Yup.”