and we promised

Chapter 28

OLIVIA

"What is this place?", I ask my two bodyguards as the car stops and I'm allowed to get out. Nathan is behind me, one of his hands still resting on my shoulders, the other one free, ready to attack anyone who tries to come close to me. I know that's why the other hand isn't on me now, for it is already clenched in a fist. I swallow hard at that.

"A safe house", Brad answers, leading us through the middle of nowhere in which we're in and to a small cabin. Luckily, the cabin doesn't look creepy, but rather cozy. Hopefully it looks the same from the inside too.

My bodyguard makes us a sign to keep moving, but my body is shaking too hard to be able to process the action I am supposed to do. Nathan helps me, offering me something steady to hang on to as we both make steps to the house. Brad opens the door, letting us enter, while Landon guards us from behind.

"This has belonged to my family for generations", Brad says, giving us a tour of the house. It really is cozy. Also, from the inside. A living room with a large couch, cushions, warm temperature, a nice kitchen, a big TV. "It used to be our weekend getaway, until my parents found a place somewhere else. We couldn't quite let go of this place. Even as I grew up and they passed away, this house still had something special about it. I couldn't just sell it. So I turned it into a safe house. To offer people the protection and the feeling of safety I always felt while coming here."

My eyes stopped from wondering around the furniture, to look at my bodyguard. He's already looking at me. "Thank you", I whisper to him. He nods once, as if it were obvious, he would help me. It's not. Just because it's his job to protect me, that doesn't mean he's obligated to share his personal space with me.

"I'm sorry about your parents", I continue, still looking him in the eyes. He meets my gaze once more before he looks away and gets busy around the kitchen.

"I usually come here once a week to supply the house with everything one might need. You'll find clothes to change upstairs. I'll cook us something in the meantime."

Nathan and I nod, and I mouth another thank you to him. His mouth minimally twitches in a corner. It's then Nathan comes help me walk up the stairs and into one of the rooms. All of the rooms upstairs are the same. A large bed, a closet, a desk with a chair and a nightstand. They each also have a private bathroom. The cabin has three rooms upstairs, and from what I've seen only the kitchen and the living room downstairs, with a bathroom.

Nathan opens the door to the closets as I'm lying on the bed, trying hard not to think of the last few hours. Trying not to think that I saw Thomas again. Trying not to think that somebody tried to kill me. Again. Trying not to think that...

"Livie?", Nathan's voice pulls me out of my thoughts. I look at him and notice him holding two different pieces of clothing in his hands, a hoodie and a sweater.

"Hoodie or sweater?", he asks me. It's then I understand that the clothes are for me and I immediately point to the hoodie. He keeps me busy by making me choose stuff the entire time. Fluffy or normal socks. White or grey. Sweatpants or thighs. Black or dark-grey. It takes a while until we completed my outfit and I go into the bathroom to wash myself. Nathan asked me to call him when I am ready and fully dressed.

I am brushing my wet hair as I shout that he can come in. Nathan carefully opens the door, and I notice he must have also taken a shower now, for he is changed in a pair of grey sweatpants, a plain white T-Shirt and some black socks. The T-Shirt is sticking to his chest, revealing everything underneath. Everything I shouldn't see.

I need help.

Nathan also took a second to check me out, I saw it. I don't know what he had to see though. I am in a pair of black sport tights, some fluffy white socks and a grey hoodie. Nothing much. Nothing hot.