Page 31 of Only the Hunter

“I’m moving in,” I say. Not a suggestion. A decision.

“Wait? What?”

“You’re not dropping this, are you?”

“No.” There’s a touch of how-dare-you-ask-that in her tone, and I let it slide.

“Until we figure out who’s doing this, who’s watching you, who hired someone to cut your brake line⁠—”

“Hired?”

“Let’s be real. The same person with access to the DOJ likely isn’t the same guy who knew how to cut a brake line.”

The slight nod is all I get.

“Until we figure out who’s watching you, I’m not leaving you alone.”

“You have a life, Gabe, a job. That’s not necessary. I’ll be fine.”

I wait until she looks at me. Really looks.

“Evie. I’m going to share something with you.”

Maybe it’s my words, maybe it’s my tone, but I’ve got her full attention.

“I requested this assignment, this transfer if you will, because Scott told me he had concerns. He didn’t ask me to come. He only shared information. And I wanted to be here.”

“Scott doesn’t even⁠—”

“Your father harbors concerns. We’re all concerned.”

She blows air in a slight huff, the movement enough to shift her hair. “Dad hates the division I work in; he’s always worried.”

“Fair,” I agree. “But this case is different, isn’t it?”

She shifts her gaze, refusing to look at me, but she does give me a drawn-out, “Yeah.”

“Right. Then right here is where I’m going to be.”

Whether she likes it or not. I’m trained. I’m capable. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to let something happen to her. Not now. Not when I’m right here.

“You’re not moving in. You’ve always jumped to that big brother role.”

Brother. Right.

“And it’s touching, but stifling.” I open my mouth to argue. “And unnecessary.”

“That’s not what this is.”

“You moved here, Gabe.” Her eyes somehow widen another fraction.

The exasperation is noted. And likely deserved. When she says it like that, it sounds ludicrous.

“If you want to come home with me from work, things like that, until you believe it’s safe, I’ll go along with that.”

It’s a start, so I take it.

Chapter 9