“I’ll be home for Christmas, but I’m only coming if you keep her.” Emma tilts her head towards the stairs leading to my bedroom on the second floor. If only Em knew the lengths I would go to, to keep Kinsley here.

“Between you and me, I don’t plan on ever letting her go.”

She watches me for a moment, then nods. I reach out, pulling her into a bear hug. “You better go get some sleep, Princess.”

Watching her walk off to her bedroom, I decide that just for tonight, tracking down the people who are messing with Kinsley can wait. My girl is here, she is safe and I should be upstairs with her in my arms.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Kinsley

I don’t often do the opening shift at the bar, but it’s a nice change getting home at 7pm, rather than closer to midnight. I convinced Tanner that it would be safe for me to make my way home by myself; I promised to call him if anything seemed out of the ordinary. Both Stanley and Tanner have been keeping a close eye on the apartment’s security cameras. I even had a message from Tanner giving me the all clear at the end of my shift so I’m sure if anyone had been snooping around, they would have noticed.

On that thought, I walk into the apartment and see that the door into the spare room is open and the light is on. “Jess, are you in there?” I call out. These guys can not help themselves, if Tanner isn’t there picking me up, I always know I’ll find Jesse waiting for me at home.

“I’ll grab us a beer.” My heels are clicking on the tiles as I walk, the sound is almost therapeutic as it echoes through the quiet space. Reaching the doorway of the spare room, I’m met with deep ocean blues. I freeze and the beers drop onto the tiles, the glass bottles smashing at my feet. I’ve become so complacent that it never occurred to me that Tanner would make his way into my room of secrets. How could I be so stupid?

“T-tanner, what are you —” My body begins to shake uncontrollably. No, this can’t be happening. Not now. Not when I’ve finally let him in, let myself believe this could work. The broken shards of glass glint in the light, mocking me as if they’re pieces of the life I have tried so hard to hold together, the life which is now shattered at my feet.