Page 172 of Redeemed

“Doesn’t she normally do holidays with Athelia’s family?” Xander asks.

“Yeah,” Colton says, “but do you think it’d be safe for her to go? That guy has to know Athelia is Haven’s roommate. He could follow her home.”

“We could follow them instead,” Xander suggests. “Stay with them for twenty or thirty miles to make sure they aren’t being tailed.”

Colton stays silent for a couple minutes. He could force her to stay here, or Xander could take her back home. I’d take her to my family’s, but I don’t want to deal with them asking questions.

“Yeah,” Colton says eventually. “That could work. Probably better than her staying here with me. We’ll ask her—”

“Are you guys talking about Thanksgiving?” Haven asks, and we turn to see her making her way through the living room from the stairs.

“Did you finish your class already?” Colton asks with a disbelieving frown.

“No, I—um. Wes texted me, but Colton, did you say you’re not doing anything for Thanksgiving?”

“Never do. Holidays are overrated, anyway.”

Xander and I share a knowing look. We’ve tried to get Colton to come with us for holidays—either to stay with Xander or spend the day with my family—but he’s always refused. At first, I thought it was because he actually hated holidays. Now I know better.

“Oh,” Haven says quietly.

“If you want to go with Athelia, we could make it work,” I say. “We’d have to take some precautions, and you’d have to be incredibly careful with what you tell her, but it’s a possibility.”

“I’ll ask her.”

“Wait.” Colton drops the spatula he’s washing. “Did you say Wes texted you? Like Wesley Carver?”

It’s then that I realize she has her phone in her hand. We let her have it every once in a while so she can keep up with Athelia and Julie, but most of the time, Colton keeps it under lock and key. He’s too worried she’ll do something that’ll accidentally give her location away.

“Yeah. He wants me to meet up with Athelia.”

Colton stalks over to Haven and snatches her phone. “What the fuck? How does he even have your number?”

“He used to be one of Athelia’s best friends, remember?”

“Yeah, years ago! Why didn’t you delete his number?”

I’d tease Colton about how jealous he sounds, but I don’t have time for this shit. “Why does he want you two to meet up?”

“He says she’s lonely, which is kinda confusing,” Haven replies. “How the fuck would he know?”

The three of us exchange a glance. We probably should’ve told Haven that her best friend moved in with her three bullies, but we knew she’d get curious. And Haven getting curious right now is a very, very dangerous thing.

Colton hands the phone back to Haven. “We could potentially make that work.”

“Athelia told me she moved. I can get the new address from—”

“We know where she’s staying,” Xander cuts in. “It’s far enough off campus that it should be safe. No one would look for you there.”

“And one of us will stay with you just in case,” Colton adds.

At that, Haven’s face falls. “I’d prefer to catch up with her alone.”

“Do you actuallywantour protection?” Xander asks frustratedly. “Because you’re really not acting—”

“She’ll be fine,” I say, a plan forming in my head. “Like you said, no one knows where Athelia is staying. Haven deserves a little alone time. She’s been cooped up in here for what, two weeks? Something like that? Give her a break.”

Both Colton and Xander look pissed at me, and I know they’re going to give me hell the second we’re alone, so I ignore their glares.

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