Page 29 of Drowning in Darkness

“Perfect.”

I prepare three bowls and three coffees, already knowing their preferences given their addiction to caffeine. Camryn likes hers strong with a splash of milk. Agent Thompson enjoys what he says is one spoonful of sugar, but his grimace the first time I made it made me realize he meant one huge, heaped spoonful of sugar, which equates to three.

I slide onto the armchair and nibble at a strawberry as the agents devour their breakfast. It warms me when people enjoy something I gave them, anything from a well-prepared drink to some freshly cut fruit. Others waited on me for so long that it made me feel incapable.

After a few minutes of watching them frown and tilt their heads at the screen, I ask, “So what’s the plan?”

Camryn’s lips twitch. “The plan is to keep you safe while we neutralize the threat.”

“And that threat is Christopher Burnside?” My entire adult life, I’ve been given vague threats. It isn’t healthy for my mind. I need to know the endpoint because I refuse to be locked away.

“That’s right,” she says.

Agent Thompson stretches his arms in the air. “I need to get a little shut-eye while Hanson and Jacobs take over.”

Camryn flicks her hand in his direction, dismissing him.

“You should get some rest too,” I point out as she sips her coffee.

“I’ll debrief with the others, introduce you, and then do a quick sweep of the block.”

One thing I’m learning about this woman is that she’s dedicated to her job and, by extension, my safety. If the world had more people like her, perhaps it would be a better place to live. As it is, I wouldn’t even consider bringing a child into this world. I’m not sure my heart could handle it.

I hum as I grab my e-reader that James thoughtfully packed in my bag. At least the man knows my essentials.

“What are you reading?” Camryn wonders.

“Fantasy.”

“Like Lord of the Rings?”

My lips twitch. “No, like dragons, lightning powers, and an epic enemies-to-lovers storyline where the last people to know they are meant to be together are the leading characters.”

“Sounds enthralling,” she mumbles.

“I can’t read crime and thrillers. There’s enough of that in the real world.”

“Fair point. I consider it professional research, although I love a good cozy romance as a palate cleanser.”

I blink at the agent and her revelation. Interesting. I guess we all have layers, and deep down, Miss Camryn Sinclair is seeking a love match, someone to come home to, to lean on when she deals with the worst of humanity. I’ve had a taste, and it haunts my every waking moment and stalks my dreams.

The stairs creak and footsteps precede the two new agents who must have arrived while I was sleeping. The woman is a younger agent with a blonde, sharp-cut bob, assessing green eyes, and a thin, pressed mouth. The guy is older and stockier than Agent Thompson, with a shaved head and soft hazel eyes. He nods once at me.

“Ben,” he declares. No nonsense, I like that.

Everyone is dressed casually in jeans and muted-colored plain shirts, nothing that stands out. This way they can answer the door without raising suspicion and blend in with locals as they pretend to be on a pleasant stroll.

“I need to ask you some questions,” Camryn says as the guy goes into the kitchen and the other woman takes a seat next to Camryn.

“Your sleepwalking,” Camryn starts.

My shoulders tense. “Yes?”

“Is that a regular thing?”

“Depends.”

“On?”