But that was all in the past, and he couldn’t change the path of destruction he’d chosen that led him to where he was today – waiting for Alex’s instructions on how to fix this current mess. Because he knew she was right, that he’d screwed up by going back to the Kensington house that night, by kidnapping the two girls, and then by hiding them in a misguided, useless attempt to save their lives. What made it all worse was that he’d found his beanie under his bed earlier today. Still, that changed nothing. What was done was done.

And regardless of how much he didn’t want to admit it, he knew Alex could make all of his problems go away, just like she always had. But then she should because it was her fault he was in this disastrous situation at all.

Howling, he pummeled his fists against his head over and over. What had Alex expected? He wasn’t a criminal. He was a football player.

Which was why, this morning, he’d done the only thing he could do. He’d called her, admitting that he’d watched in numbed shock as a hunter had pulled the girls from a cattle guard.

Even though Alex hadn’t been able to see him, he’d shrunk under her explosive rage, sniveling and crying as she berated him for his stupidity. Only when she’d depleted her laundry list of everything he’d ruined and told him all the ways he was worthless did she calm down.

‘Listen to me. Do exactly as I say, and I’ll take care of everything.’

‘You promise?’ He hated how she’d reduced him to a simpering child.

‘I promise. Now, close all your blinds and turn off your lights. If anyone knocks, don’t answer the door. Leave the key for the new locks under the bush in the front yard, and I’ll let myself in.’

Several hours of wearing his carpet thin slipped away before Alex’s words finally tunneled to the forefront of his mind. She’d told him to leave the key for the new locks, but he’d never told her he’d changed the locks because he knew she’d demand to know why. And it wasn’t like he could very well tell her the truth – that he had nightmares about her disemboweling him for screwing up. After all, he’d known her to kill for lesser reasons.

There was only one way she could know. She’d been by the house, and she hadn’t told him. Because she was going to take care of him, too?