Page 27 of Haunted By the Storm
A slow smile spreads across his face. "As far as Eric and the rest of the world are concerned, you are. That's the plan, remember? I'm your boyfriend, your protector. For that to work, people need to believe it."
"And do you?" I challenge. "Believe it?"
His gaze intensifies, pinning me to my seat. "I believe that while you're under my protection, no one touches you or your daughter without going through me first. Whether that makes you 'mine' or not... that's something only you can decide."
The air between us feels charged, thick with something I'm not ready to name. I break eye contact first, looking down at my hands.
"Emily seems to be settling in well," I say, changing the subject. "She's having breakfast with Sera and Ruby."
Storm accepts the shift in conversation with grace. "Those girls will be good for her. Sera's a little hurricane of energy and Ruby's smart as a whip. Between the two of them, they'll keep Emily distracted from all the adult drama."
"I hope so. She's been through enough upheaval in her life."
"Kids are resilient," Storm says, surprising me with his insight. "More than we give them credit for. As long as they feel safe and loved, they can weather almost anything."
"You sound like you know from experience."
A shadow passes over his face. "Let's just say I know what it's like to be a kid whose world gets turned upside down overnight."
I want to ask more, to understand the pain I glimpse behind his stoic exterior, but before I can, the garage door opens and Shadow steps inside.
"Sorry to interrupt," he says, though his expression suggests he's not sorry at all. "Ace wants us in the chapel in ten. He’s got some updates on our friend Eric."
Storm nods, rising from his chair. "I'll be right there." He turns back to me as Shadow retreats. "You going to be okay? I can have someone walk you back to the main building."
"I'm not helpless," I remind him. "I can find my way back."
"Never said you were helpless," he counters. "But there are a lot of moving parts around here, and not everyone knows you yet. Better safe than sorry."
I relent, seeing the logic in his concern. "Fine. But I don't need an escort. Just point me in the right direction."
He studies me for a moment, then nods. "Through that door, straight down the hall, then left at the end. It'll take you right back to the main room."
"Thank you," I say, standing to leave. "And... thank you for telling me about Eric. For being honest."
"Always will be," he says with a seriousness that catches me off guard. "I might not tell you everything, but what I do tell you will always be the truth."
The distinction is important, I realize. He's not promising full disclosure, just honesty within the boundaries he deems necessary. It's more than most people offer.
I nod my acknowledgment and turn to go, but his voice stops me at the door.
"Camryn?"
I look back, finding his expression softer than before. "Yes?"
"Last night," he begins, and my heart skips a beat, "during the storm. You did good."
It's not what I was expecting him to say, but the simple praise warms me nonetheless. "I had help," I acknowledge.
A small smile curls the corner of his mouth. "Anytime."
The promise in that single word follows me as I make my way back to the main building, my mind replaying our conversation, analyzing every nuance. There's something developing between us, something beyond the protective arrangement we've agreed to. I'm not sure what to call it, or if I should even acknowledge it at all.
I find Emily still in the kitchen, now engaged in an elaborate game involving plastic dinosaurs and what appears to be a city made of pancake pieces. She looks up when I enter, her face bright with excitement.
"Mom! Sera has pet dinosaurs! And Ruby knows how to make a volcano with baking soda! Can we get baking soda?"
I laugh, relief washing over me at seeing her so animated. "We'll see. Are you having fun?"
