Page 162 of Override

"Exactly."

"Which makes it statistically one of the least likely places they'll believe someone actually left it."

She blinks. "...You really think like that."

"Constantly."

"I don't know if that's impressive or exhausting."

"Both."

The lock clicks open.

Warm air greets us as I push the door inward and motion for her to step inside first.

The cabin is small but comfortable. Stone fireplace. Leather couch. Kitchen off to one side. A hallway leading toward the bedrooms.

Safe. For the first time in days...Actually safe.

I close the door behind us. The silence feels different here. Peaceful.

Maeve slowly turns in a circle, taking everything in before finally looking back at me. She stares at me for a minute underneath the new lights. I see the moment recognition hits.

"No..." The whisper barely reaches me. "I know you."

Every instinct I have screams that something has gone catastrophically wrong. "Maeve..."

"You were in the house." She takes a step backward, shaking her head. "You were there the day the security system was updated."

Shit.

"I saw you."

"I know."

"You lied to me." The hurt in her voice lands harder than any accusation ever could. "You told me you didn't work for Ronan."

"I don't."

A humorless laugh escapes her. "I saw you in my house."

"I was."

"You were working for him."

"No." The word leaves me immediately. "I was working around him."

She just stares. Not understanding. Not believing me. "I didn't install his security system."

"Then why were you there?"

Because I needed one place where I could hear you if something happened. Because I couldn't stand the thought of you being completely alone. None of those answers belong to her. Not yet.

So I tell her the truth.

"I installed one microphone."

She blinks. "What?"