Page 19 of Toward Immortal Ruin

“Welcome to my mansion. Kitchen, bath, bedroom. This is where all the action happens. And by action, I mean movies and muffins.” Eden decided to play the dutiful host. “Can I get you anything? Water, pop, Ovaltine?”

“Nah, I’m good. My stomach just about turned inside out when I stepped in front of that bus.”

She cringed. “Me too.”

They sat down on the couch, snuggled against each other like they’d known each other for years. There was no need to pretend that she was someone else, and she was comfortable in her own skin around him. The connection between them was undeniable.

A call rang through on his phone, and he fumbled with it for a second before asking, “Do you mind if I take this outside?”

“Oh—sure.” She pointed to the door. “Just knock when you need back in.”

The muted sounds of a conversation began outside her door, and gradually drew away. She scrambled upright, tidying up a few scattered things and quickly took stock of her mostly clean kitchen.

When she’d left the apartment this morning, she hadn’t thought about bringing someone home, yet Nero’s presence here seemed the most logical thing in the world. Granted, being under threat from a terrorist organization was not how she wanted to spend her last days, but in the company of someone like Nero, it’d make it just a bit easier.

On the heels of that thought came another: she could either tell Nero the truth and risk being ghosted by him, like it happened with so many of the people she’d considered friends. Or, if he accepted her, and they continued seeing each other, he’d be broken-hearted when her time was up. There were so many ‘what ifs’ involved in the complex situation, and it was difficult to wrap her head around what the future would hold.

A knock at the door broke through the whirlwind in her mind. Nero was on the other side, looking grim. As she stepped back to let him inside, he said, “Can we sit?”

“Not good news, then?”

She wrung her hands together in anticipation of what was to come. Beside her, Nero cleared his throat. “Two of my sources have confirmed that you’re being targeted, Eden. TheCitizensare in hot water with the federal agencies, and your statement and research findings could potentially be the nail in the coffin.”

The confirmation made her vision swim. She swayed briefly on the couch, but when Nero wrapped his arm around her shoulders, she crumpled against him.

“I know too much,” she concluded.

“You do. When you said no to joining them, that was the turning point. They can’t risk having you testify against them.” Nero cocked his head. “When did you meet with them?”

“Only about a week ago.”

“That’d make sense given the timeline. It takes time to get the wolves in play, and while I have no idea why that man was here tonight, I can tell you that this location is no longer safe.”

Sucking in a breath, she nestled her head against Nero. Her mind was reeling, and a twinge of pain echoed between her temples.

“Do you have anywhere else you can stay?”

Eden looked around her apartment, grasping at straws. “My dad—he lives far away, but …” A sudden terror overwhelmed her. “Nero, I speak with him often, I mail him things, send him money. Do you think he’s in danger, too?”

“They’ve got a hacker,” he revealed. “If they know about this place—”

“Then they know about my dad?”

“They might.”

She knew one thing for certain. “I’ve gotta get out there to him!”

“That might be exactly what they want you to do, Eden. If you give me his address, I can see about having a protective detail formed. He won’t be in danger; I can assure you.”

“Nero, I can’t say thank you enough—I feel like I owe you so much. Are you sure he’ll be safe? Maybe I should call the cops.”

Nero mulled through the possibilities. “That’s up to you. If that’s the route you want to take, then I would support you.”

“What would you do if you were in my situation?”

“I’d hesitate. Contacting the authorities might end in the witness protection system, and we both know what that might mean.”

She cringed. “I’d get a new name, a new life, and wouldn’t be able to contact anyone I once knew. I’d have to leave this—all my research and my speaking engagements behind.” She wouldn’t mention her medical treatment and team of doctors to him yet.

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