𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 ━━ SARAH CAMERON

50

THE ROOM WAS dim, quiet. Kaden lay flat on his back, shirtless, eyes fixed on the ceiling, mind swirling with thoughts. Sarah was beside him, curled against his chest, her bare legs tangled with his, her fingers lazily tracing his abs.

Neither spoke.

He absently played with a strand of her hair, twisting it around his fingers and letting it fall, over and over again. Her cheek rose and fell with his breath. She should've left hours ago—Ward's party was important to him. He expected her to be there. He must have been wondering where she disappeared off to.

But she didn't care. Not yet. She wasn't ready to leave Kaden.

"Your heartbeat's fast," she murmured, breaking the comfortable silence that had enveloped them. He didn't respond. His fingers just slowed.

She lifted her head slightly. "Kaden?"

"I'm thinking," he said simply.

"About what?"

His eyes drifted from the ceiling down to her face. "Everything." She frowned in confusion, but before she could ask what that meant—

A scream tore through the house.

High-pitched. Wheezie.

Sarah bolted upright. "What was—"

Kaden was already moving. He threw the blanket off, grabbed a pair of sweatpants, shoved it on as he stormed toward the door. Sarah scrambled off the bed behind him, heart hammering.

Another scream. Louder. Desperate.

Kaden yanked the door open and skidded to a halt.

There, standing at the end of the hallway, just inside the living room, were three men—faces half-covered, boots muddy, knives in their hands.

Blake was pressed into a corner of the room, holding a fireplace poker like it weighed more than he did. Wheezie was clutching his arm, panic visible all over her face.

"What the hell?" Sarah breathed out from behind Kaden at the sight of the two kids and the three strangers in the living room.

The tallest man in front shifted, knife twirling in his grip. "Nice place," he said, voice low and mocking. "Didn't think you'd have kids here."

Kaden's blood turned cold. He stepped forward, and Sarah froze just behind him.

"Let them go," Kaden said, voice hard as concrete. "Now."

The man grinned. "Or what?" He twirled the knife in his hand. "Oh, come on now. Y'know we don't hurt kids."

Behind him, Sarah whispered, "Kaden—who are they?"

He didn't answer. He didn't blink.

"Take them to my room," he said over his shoulder. "Go. Lock the door."

"Kaden—"

"Now."

She jumped at the sound of his voice but grabbed Wheezie's hand. "Blake—come on!" she hissed, yanking them both toward the stairs. Blake looked back just once, wide-eyed.

"You gonna be okay?" he asked.

"I'll handle it," Kaden said without turning.

The second man lunged.

Kaden sidestepped, grabbed the guy's arm mid-swing and slammed his elbow into his jaw. The crack echoed. The man staggered, but the third attacker was quicker—his knife sliced clean across Kaden's arm.

He hissed through his teeth, stumbling back a step. Blood began seeping out almost instantly. The first man charged next—he was big, fast. Kaden barely dodged, took a punch to the ribs that sent him slamming into the wall. His head rang. Lights flickered.