Bound to Forever - Book ll

Too Close of a Call

Simon's Point of View:

The following morning, Kiera had woken up before me and got the kids ready for the day. She didn't express her thoughts much about the safehouse that I arranged for her to stay in while I was working, but I could tell that she was comfortable with the arrangement. The ranch didn't feel like a home anymore. Instead, it felt like an alamo – an armed wrangler near the entrance, Johnny running security, cameras on every perimeter, and every single wrangler armed to the teeth ready to shoot down anyone who comes around that has no business there. I felt like I was letting her father down when he passed the ranch onto me, but Kiera tells me that nothing seemed to have changed when it came to protecting it this way.

"Got everything you need, love?"

"Yep," She sighed. "I do have a question for you, though."

"I'll have an answer." I nodded, sitting down at the counter, watching her put away the clean dishes after she presented me with a plate of fresh breakfast.

"It's not much of a question, actually, but I have a feeling that things are going to get worse from here. And if something comes down to it, we need to have a place to take the kids."

I really didn't like the reality that something could happen to me, but now that she phrased her statement, I had a feeling that she was planning on getting involved with closing this case herself. To a degree, I didn't blame her for wanting to seek justice for her mother, but I just hoped she knew that she had a bigger priority, which was being there for our children if something were to happen to me.

"Safehouse." I answered with confidence.

"But what if something happens to us, Simon?"

"You mean me? Nothing is going to happen to you."

"Well, if someone is after you, they surely know about me. I need to be ready for something, Simon."

Bloody hell, she was right. I didn't want to admit it, though. I wanted her to have the confidence in me to be able to protect her and the kids, but there was no way to convince her of that. She knew something bad was going to happen, and maybe she was right about wanting to be involved in some way, and perhaps I could use her skills, but I didn't want to.

"I know, love. I'll figure something out."

"What if I may have a solution?"

"What've you got?"

"Aside from Teeter, who else would we both trust to protect our children?"

"Who said I trusted Teeter to watch our children?" I teased, watching her glare at me. "But I don't know, love. I don't trust many people to protect our children."

"Not even Kate?"

Laswell. I would trust that woman with our children, knowing that she would protect them through hell or high water, but there were also two other people who came to mind. Actually, four.

"I would, yes."

"Good, because I made a call this morning, and she's flying in later today with some files she got from the office, but she also may be a helpful hand."

"I agree. I may need to make some calls later myself."

A cheeky grin appeared on her face, "Unfortunate way to get the family back together then, huh?"

"It gets the job done."

"Teeter also came by early this morning. She told me that Johnny told her to ask if she could bring herself and Foster to the safehouse today with me."