Page 63 of The Road Less Traveled By

Vince’s voice fades as my mind takes in all of this information he just threw at us.

There was a bomb under the seat I was supposed to sit in.

Icould’ve died tonight.

I could’ve killed the only family I have left and a bunch of innocent people.

My stalker almost killed me. Again.

I hear the voices of the people I love most, but none of the words will permeate my brain.

And then I start laughing. I probably look and sound like a maniac, and as I turn around to face them, they’re all staring at me.

“Are you okay, sis?” Liv asks me, and I keep laughing. There’s nothing funny about this situation, but I can’t help it.

“No. No, I’m not okay. I’m a YouTuber with millions of followers, and I have a stalker who keeps threatening to kill me! I post about books I love, makeup tutorials, and I have astalker. A whole ass stalker who can’t seem to get enough of me! A stalker who threatened to kill me before while he ran his hands all over my body and thought I was enjoying myself! God, I feel like I’m going insane.”

“Bree…” my sister says, her face full of concern. I don't know if it’s for me or the situation at hand. “Maybe we should all head to my house.”

I’m about to agree before Vince cuts me off. “No. I’m getting her out of town for a few days.”

Chapter twenty-one

— SMOKE SIGNALS BY PHOEBE BRIDGERS

If I could eraseanything from my memory, it would be the past three days.

Overwhelming doesn't even begin to cut it. First, hearing Ralph on the other side of the phone pissed me off. He’s taunting me, and he knows that this stupid game he’s playing with Bree is getting under my skin. Then, having to deal with a whole ass bomb threat at Liv’s event took about fifteen years off my life.

I couldn't get Bree out of that building fast enough. When I saw what my guys had found, it felt like the walls were closing in on me.

All I had on my mind was her. If something happened to her that I could’ve prevented, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Just the thought of Bree being hurt makes my skin crawl.

I’ve been running on empty lately, and this threat on Bree’s life has kickstarted an entire new feeling. I’ve been burning hot with this intense need to protect her, but my safety has never mattered, just hers.

All the thoughts that fill my mind lately are of her, and when I try to sleep, I can’t. Images of her needing me and being hurt when I’m not there haunt my dreams, and when I wake up, I’m paralyzed with fear.

Even though it’s never real, the dreams feel so vivid, and they’ve shaken me more than I care to admit.

If I lose Bree, or if that psychopath ever gets his hands on her, nothing could stop me from protecting her—not even death.

We’ve been here for a few days, and Bree has barely left her room. Well, my sister's room, which shares a wall with mine, even though I’ve barely used the bed.

I’ve become way too comfortable sleeping outside her room, and even being here, that fact remains the same. In my mind, I know nobody can find us out here. We’re completely disconnected from everything. Both of our phones are off, and the burners I keep here for emergencies are all I’ve been using to communicate with Nico, Liv, and my sister. Nico has been updating me, and he hasn't gotten anywhere with finding a location on Ralph, but he’s not giving up. He’s even tried some dark web shit, but that kind of stuff takes a lot longer.

Liv has called a few times, and I’ve given Bree the phone to talk to her, but she hasn't wanted to speak to anyone. I keep telling Liv to let her be with her emotions for a few days, but she’s worried about her, so she continues to call and check in.

I’m just as worried about her, but the one thing that might make her feel better is on the way here. I don't know how much of a difference it will make, but not being able to do anything to help Bree has unraveled me more than the shit we’ve dealt with the past week.

I’ve been scared to leave her alone for so long, and I even offered to have her call Dr. Anna, but she’s declined every time. I’m worried she’s spending too much time wrapped up in that head of hers and is going to do something stupid—like cut herself off from everyone she loves to keep them out of danger.

Or something worse, but I try not to go down that road.

The only good thing is that she hasn't had a panic attack in the past few days, so I guess that’s a win, right?

Aknock at the door has me pulling my gun from the strap of my waistband, and when I see my sister walk in with Nellie’s leash around her hand, I drop it.

“Christ, baby brother. What the hell are you doing?”

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