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“Don’t cry.”

“I promised not to tell anyone about this call, I didn’t promise not to cry.”

“Tee?”

“Yeah, sweetie?”

“I’m scared.”

“I’m listening.”

“I just figured out that Zarek has a dangerous job. He leaves on these twenty-four-hour shifts and he actually fights fires.”

I could actually hear my big sister listening.

“He could get hurt.”

“And that would hurt you? Wouldn’t it?” Trenda asked gently.

“This isn’t about me,” I denied vehemently.

Trenda didn’t respond.

“Did you hear me?” My question came out rough.

“Oh, I heard what you said, and everything you didn’t say. I’ve liked Zarek Post for years and years, but I actually loved him when he fought to take you to Dallas.”

That floored me. I was so sure that Trenda, for sure, was pissed as hell at Zarek. But then I thought about it. If she really hadn’t approved, she would have been on Zarek’s doorstep the next day. I grinned.

“So, you thought he could fix me, did you?”

“Oh God, you’re never going to let me live that down. I’m so sorry I ever said that horrible thing. Hell, Chloe, I think part of where I was coming from was the fact that I had to put myself back together after that whole fucking ordeal. Evie was kidnapped in Turkey, you were held hostage and beaten, then Evie killed a man, then I was taken hostage and they threatened Bella. All of that was a nightmare.”

I stood up straight. Put like that, it made me realize that my whole family had been put through the ringer.

“But tell me about Zarek,” Trenda prompted.

“I’m just scared for him, Tee.”

“Just like we’ve all been scared for Drake and his job as a SEAL.”

I turned that information over in my head.

“Not quite, that seemed too distant. Drake’s been gone from home too long for me to wrap my head around the fact he’s been in harm’s way the whole fucking time. But Zarek is here in the morning having breakfast, and then he leaves for a job where he could get killed.” I hated the fear in my voice. I had just been coming out of my fear headspace.

“Didn’t you tell me he had to take some pretty serious training to get to his current level?”

I thought back to a conversation I’d had with my sisters at Pearl’s restaurant months and months ago, when I’d been bragging on Zarek. “Yes,” I admitted.

“So, he must be good at his job.”

“But I don’t know about his teammates. They could be morons.”

“Zarek doesn’t strike me as the type to put up with stupid people watching his back.”

I had to agree with that assessment. What’s more, he’d talked really highly of the three men he’d mentioned. Especially Luke and Allen.

“I think you need to talk to Zarek about your concerns. He’s going to be the best one to reassure you.”