Page 132 of Sheltering You

They were on their own.

“So Qasim and his people know we’re all here.” Grant paced toward the windows, then turned to face the family. “They’ll come prepared. What they don’t know is that we’ve been warned. They don’t know we’re trained—and we’ll be waiting for them.” The thought seemed to amuse him because his lips did that twitch thing. His gaze flicked to Dad. “We’ll need all the weapons and ammo you have.”

“I’ll go with you.” Sam popped up from the floor and held a hand out to their father to help him up.

They went downstairs to the gun safe.

“We need the rest of the walkie-talkies.” Michael leaned down and held a hand out to their mom. “Can you find those?”

“There’s a box around here somewhere.” She let him pull her to her feet. “Somebody will need to find batteries.”

“I’ll do it.” Eliza stood, and then everyone started standing, moving, talking.

Everyone wanted to help.

Derrick’s gaze flicked to the kitchen, where Jasmine had backed toward the door that led to the porch.

He caught her eyes, and she froze.

From there, steps led down to the wide lawn that spanned to the waist-high rock wall, the only thing between the property and the steep cliff. Below that were the dock, the boathouse, and the churning Atlantic.

The island had no roads, just dirt paths leading to the family’s favorite and most visited places. A stream with a little swimming hole. A tree they used to love climbing when they were kids. A grove of Christmas trees.

There were no cars, just a couple of golf carts they used to transport things from the sea-level dock on the far side, things that were too heavy or too cumbersome to maneuver up the cliff.

Two boats bobbed in the boathouse below, but the keys were here. And the steps leading down to it would be snow-covered and slick.

Jasmine wouldn’t know how to drive the boats anyway, even if she could find the keys. Even if she could find her way back to the mainland.

While the rest of Derrick’s family talked, Derrick walked toward Jasmine, stopping just short of her. “What are you thinking?”

Her eyes were wide and filled with tears. “I cannot put your family in danger.”

“You’re part of our family, Jazz.”

“I am not. And if they wanted me before, I am sure they do not want me now. People could die.”

“We’ve got this. You just need to⁠—”

“I could go down to the dock and wait⁠—”

“No!” He hadn’t meant to shout, but obviously, he had because the voices in the other room quieted.

She took a step back as if he’d scared her. Well, too bad.

He was tired of her...her I don’t deserve your help nonsense. He reached for her hand, but she snatched it back.

“Fine, then.” He scooped her into his arms—he’d hefted luggage heavier than she was—and carried her into the living room, where he unceremoniously dumped her on one of the couches. “She thinks we’ll be safer if she leaves.” He addressed the room at large.

He heard a gasp. Probably Leila.

Grant cleared his throat. “It’s too late for that, and it’s not necessary.” He nodded to the other couch, which was already covered in weapons. “We’ve got this.”

She blinked at the guns. Her gaze scanned the people watching her from above and landed on Dad, who’d just come back. “I did not mean for this to happen.”

“Of course you didn’t.” His smile was kind, like Dad always was. “We knew you and Leila were in danger, that people were after you. We knew what we were getting into when we welcomed you into our family. You’re worth protecting.”

Derrick had always loved his father. But he didn’t think he’d ever loved and respected him more.