Page 20 of Rehabilitated

“Of course.”

“Thanks for calling.”

“I’ll keep you updated.”

We hang up, and I set my phone down slowly.

Ever is already pushing to her feet. Her hands are shaking. I hate that she’s scared.

“Baby—”

“They found me.”

“They haven’t found you.”

“They’re here.”

“They’re in town. They don’t know where you are.”

“They will.” Her voice breaks.

I’m so far out of my depth here. I want to comfort her, to reassure her that nothing bad will ever happen to her with me around, but she’s too lost in her fear to hear me.

I step forward, needing to hold her.

She throws her hands out to stop me, her eyes shining with tears. “Don’t! I can’t.”

A deadly calm falls over me. “Can’t what?”

“I can’t stay here.”

My bear roars.

“You’re not going anywhere,” I growl.

“I can’t let them hurt you.”

“They can’t hurt me.”

“You don’t know what they’re capable of.”

“And they don’t know what I’m capable of.”

My bear growls in agreement.

Ever backs away. “I need to leave before they find this place.”

“No.”

“Russo—”

“You’re not going back,” I promise her. “And you’re not leaving me.”

My bear presses close to the surface, desperate to comfort her, but Ever paces away from us before I can grab her and pull her into my arms.

It kills me, but I give her space.

I don’t know what those monsters are planning. I don’t know how far they’ll go to get her back. But they made one very big mistake.