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“We don't know for sure yet if Mason is the only one responsible. He could have been working with someone, or even a whole network of people.” Natalie's mouth pops open at this, probably the first time she's considered it. “Even if Mason is out of the picture, that doesn't mean the threat is over. We aren't even sure he's the one who attacked Jack.”
Natalie's lip trembles as she stumbles over her response. “I… I didn't even think about that.” She wraps her arms around herself, her gaze dropping to the floor.
A lump forms in my throat. Seeing Natalie like this, her usual confidence stripped away, feels wrong—too vulnerable for the strong-headed woman I know.
“Hey, it’s okay,” I begin, my voice soft. Tentatively, I raise my hand to her cheek, brushing against her skin ever so slightly. “Let's get out of here. Somewhere safer where we can talk about this more.” I wait until her sky-blue eyes lift to meet mine. “Can we?”
Before she can formulate an answer, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I sigh at the interruption and pull it out to see another incoming call from the police. I reluctantly draw back from Natalie and answer the call, my back briefly turned to her as I try to shield her from more bad news.
“Mr. Rodriguez,” the detective on the line greets me. “I wanted to update you. We have another person of interest—Gabriel King, one of your contractors. We’ve yet to track him down. I’d advise you to be very careful, as we're not sure of his whereabouts or his intentions.”
The news hits like a punch to the gut. Gabriel—possibly still at large and a danger not just to me, but to Natalie, to Aria, and everyone else involved in the project. The implications are chilling, and I struggle to maintain my composure as my fears are realized.
I should have trusted my gut the day I met him and found someone else for the job. I always felt like something was off about him, but I rationalized it away, not wanting to believe that the culprit was right under my nose the entire fucking time.
I thank the detective and end the call. Turning back to Natalie, I see the worry etched deeply in her features.
“They believe Mason was working with Gabriel King from my team,” I begin, my voice low. “They’re looking for him now. It’s not safe here—or anywhere, really, until they find him.”
Natalie’s reaction is a mix of shock and rising fear, mirroring my own; our earlier tension momentarily forgotten in the face of a larger threat.
“I’m sorry, Natalie,” I continue, my earlier anger giving way to a profound worry for her safety. “I know you feel sidelined, but it’s precisely because of things like this. These are the kinds of things I’m thinking about when I tell you not to get involved. It’s all too dangerous, and until we know more, I can’t risk something happening to you.”
Her expression softens, understanding dawning alongside the fear. “Okay, I get it,” she says, her voice trembling slightly. “Let’s... let’s just make sure we’re safe, then.”
As we head back to the car, our steps hurried and close, the weight of the situation binds us together in cautious alliance. The road ahead is uncertain, but one thing is clear: we need to protect each other, now more than ever.
We hurry into my car, the chill of the air matching the cold knot of fear in my stomach. As Natalie locks the doors, I pull out my phone again, this time to call the sitter, who is definitely getting a bonus when this whole ordeal is over.
I considered leaving Aria with my cousin for a few more days, but the only way I can guarantee her safety is if she’s with me. Once we get home, I’m locking Aria, Natalie, and myself inside until they catch that fucker Gabriel.
The dial tone seems to drone on forever until she picks up.
“Hey, I just need to check on Aria. Is everything okay?”
The sitter’s calm voice does little to ease the tension gripping me. “Yes, she's right here. We’re doing some finger painting right now.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Okay, thank you. Please call me if anything unusual happens. Keep the door locked and don’t open it for anyone until I get home. I’m on my way.”
After hanging up, I share a look with Natalie. The relief that Aria is safe is massive, but it’s overshadowed by the myriad of threats still looming over us. “I don’t think Mason would go after Aria, but I’m not taking any chances,” I confess, feeling the weight of every decision now laden with potential risk.
In the silence of my car, my mind races back to the two suspects.
“Why would Mason and Gabriel be working together?” I voice out loud, almost to myself. “I hadn’t even met Gabriel until he started on this project.”
Natalie turns to look at me, her face pale but her eyes sharp with a dawning realization. “What if Gabriel only started working for you because of Mason?” she suggests, her voice low but clear.
The implications of her words hit me with the force of a physical blow. It’s a chilling thought. Gabriel’s employment might not have been coincidental at all, but a calculated move by Mason to infiltrate the project, to get close without arousing suspicion.
“You’re right,” I admit, the pieces of the puzzle starting to align in a disturbing picture. “If Mason was orchestrating something against me, having someone on the inside would give him eyes and ears on the ground. It would make everything easier for him.”
The thought that I could have unknowingly facilitated this threat terrifies me. My role was to protect the project, and everyone involved, and now it seems I might have been compromised from the start.
My chest tightens, the weight of everything threatening to crush me. The danger was closer and more organized than I’d feared, and the thought of Natalie and Aria being caught in this web of treachery leaves me feeling more protective—and more helpless—than ever.
Natalie seems to sense my growing distress. She reaches over and takes my hand, her grip warm and reassuring. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispers, her breath warm and her voice filled with a conviction that I desperately want to believe. “Now they know who to look for, it’s just a matter of waiting.”
Her words, simple yet powerful, cut through the fog of my anxieties. I nod, allowing myself a moment to simply appreciate her presence, her resolve. “Thank you, Nat,” I manage to say, my voice rough with emotion. “For being here, for being you. We’ll face whatever comes, as long as we have each other.”
