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“Zack!” I cried. “I took your cell so I’d be able to grab him when he woke up, but I dropped it downstairs. Is he okay?”
“He’s still fast asleep. I checked on him before I came in here. Breathe, beautiful,” Harris soothed.
“Let’s get dressed and grab our clothes. We don’t have enough to leave anything behind,” Aleks suggested. He helped me to my feet and I tried not to look as unsteady as I felt. I obviously failed.
“You guys go and get packed up. I’ll help Evie, then grab my shit,” Harris told them all. They each gave me a brief kiss before they left the room but I still felt their loss when they went. I just felt so much more whole and together when they were all with me. I knew that made me sound weak and needy, but I was weak. I was so tired of struggling and fighting. When I was with the four of them That exhaustion was less and I craved that. They gave me strength and I needed that immensely at that time.
***
“Okay, car’s outside,” Harris announced a short while later. I had dressed in some comfortable sweats and I had stolen Kailan’s hoody, needing the smell of one of my guys close to comfort me. I looked a mess, but I was dressed. The guys had packed up all of my new clothes, along with some toiletries and such from the bathroom, and they had everything packed into duffel bags which Harris had also bought when he went to the department store for clothes for all of us. I loved the way that man was always prepared for anything.
The guys were dressed and Aleks had Zack, who was still half asleep, strapped into the car seat Harris had also picked up.
“We gonna get shit when we go down there?” Nick asked.
“Maybe from Kyle. He was still raging when I went down to grab your cell.” Harris shrugged.
“I can’t face them. I know that makes me a coward, but I can’t, not tonight anyway,” I confessed.
“I know, sweetheart. Kailan is going to get you straight out to the car, and Aleks will take care of Zack. Nick and I will handle things with Kyle if we need to,” Harris explained. I knew Nick and Harris had gotten that pleasure because they were the biggest, and they were worried my brothers would join in if Kyle tried to stop us from leaving. I hated that it had come to this, but it was Kyle’s doing. I was so angry and disgusted with him for watching that footage. He wasn’t the brother I knew.
“Okay, let’s get this show on the road,” Kailan announced. He and Aleks each threw one of the huge duffel bags on their shoulders, then Aleks picked Zack’s carrier up, as Kailan wrapped me in his strong arms.
It was like having a security entourage as we left my room and headed down the stairs. Nick and Harris were up front, their hands free and ready to fight it they needed to, which I really hoped they would not. Kailan and I were right behind them, Kailan holding me so close to his side that I could barely move properly, not that I was complaining. I was shaking so hard still; I wasn’t sure I’d stay upright alone. Then Aleks was right behind us with Zack.
My entire family was waiting for us in the hallway when we got to the bottom of the stairs. My dad stepped forward, looking right at me with worry.
“I really think we need to talk about this, sweetie. You leaving right now is not a good idea,” he said.
“Evie doesn’t feel comfortable here right now. A friend of mine has arranged a safe place for us to stay and some additional security. Evie will be safe,” Harris assured him calmly.
“What security? From which company?” Kade asked.
“I don’t know, but my bud is ex-forces, so I’m sure they’re well vetted and highly trained,” Harris assured them.
“This is so fucking stupid. It was just a DVD. The cops would have to watch it anyway,” Kyle spat angrily from near the back.
“You’re my fucking brother, Kyle!” I yelled. “Maybe I could handle a cop I don’t know watching it, but not you! Why would you even want to?”
“I had to know what you went through!” he yelled.
“No, you didn’t,” I told him flatly. “Where’s the disk now?”
“I have it, Evie. I’ll make sure it gets to the FBI,” dad assured me.
“Please don’t leave, Evie. We can’t risk losing you again,” Cole pleaded and I couldn’t look at him because I could already hear the emotion in his voice.
“I have to,” I squeaked, my throat once again tight as more tears threatened. “Can we j-just go?” I looked up to Kailan and he nodded, then led me down the last step and right for the front door.
“Honey,” Mom stepped in front of me, stopping us near the door. “I love you, so very much.”
“Love you too,” I whispered, then I moved around her and didn’t stop until we were outside.
There were two large blacked out SUV’s waiting for us on the drive and three huge men, dressed all in black waiting beside them. Kailan greeted them and shook their hands as he explained how many of us there were and that Nick and Harris were right behind us.
One of the security guys ushered us into the back of the nearest car and I settled in the middle and curled into Kailan as I allowed my tears to fall. Aleks went to the other car with Zack. A few moments later Harris got in on my other side, then we were moving. I guessed Nick was in the other car, but I was too upset to ask.
I didn’t lift my head from the comfort and safety of Kailan’s chest for the entire journey, my tears flowing constantly and my emotions flicking from devastation, to confusion, then to anger over and over again.
