Fragile Sanctuary (Sparrow Falls Book 1)

I muttered a curse as I shifted to pull my phone from my back pocket. The name on the screen had my blood turning to ice, but not answering wasn’t an option. Because the what-if would be even worse.

Hitting an icon on the screen, I pressed the cell to my ear. “Hunt.”

“We’ve got two more,” Helena said, not wasting any time.

The wave of nausea hit me hard and fast.

“And he’s getting closer to you.”

That had me sitting up, then standing, needing to move. “Where?”

“First vic was in Montana. A waitress at a roadside diner. Next two were in Idaho, only an hour’s drive apart.”

The ice was back, the kind of cold that was so frigid it hurt. “He’s escalating.”

“Something’s pissing him off,” Helena agreed. “I gotta ask, Anson…has anything in your life changed?”

I stilled as Rho came into view. She’d gotten dressed in sweats and a tee, lines of concern etched into her beautiful face. Fear slammed into me. No, it was more than fear. It was terror. “I’m seeing someone.”

Helena cursed. “He’s still got eyes on you.”

Those eyes were just virtual. We’d been able to piece together that he watched our victims’ families and loved ones after killing the women. His notes to them made that much obvious. And we knew he must have hacked into my computer to get information about Greta. But he’d never left any traces that our tech team could find. He was too good.

But I was more careful now. The security on my laptop was top-notch. I locked down my digital footprint. But there were crumbs. Texts between Rho and me. A few photos of her on my phone.

Had he gotten access to those?

“Anson,” Helena clipped.

“I know,” I said. God, I sounded defeated. Because no matter what I did, this monster found ways to steal the best things in my life. But I wasn’t about to let him steal Rho.

I heard Helena moving through what I guessed was a police station. The din and occasional snippets of conversations were familiar. Finally, the noise lessened as a door closed. “My guess is that he’s making his way to you.”

“Know that, too.” The urge to bolt was strong. But I knew there was nowhere I could go that he wouldn’t find me. Nowhere he wouldn’t rip my world apart, piece by piece.

“We want to take you into protective custody. You can assist with the case if you want, or you can pretend none of this is happening.”

“No.” My answer was instant. The only thing protective custody would do was delay the inevitable.

“Don’t be an idiot, Anson. He’s never killed two people this close together before. He’s unraveling, and you know what that means.”

It meant that his patterns could change. His M.O., too. He could come for me as easily as he did his typical female victims. “I’m tired of running, Helena.”

“I know. We’re gonna get him. I feel it in my bones. But I’d still like you to be breathing when we do.”

I went quiet.

She sighed. “Promise me you’ll at least think about it.”

“Okay,” I agreed, knowing it was the best way to get her off my back right now.

“Do you want updates?”

I mulled that over for a moment. “Yeah.” I was in it now whether I wanted to be or not.

“Okay. Be safe.”

“You, too,” I answered.

She hung up without a goodbye. Maybe that’s where I’d gotten the trait. Goodbyes were too final for people like us.

I lowered the phone, gripping it tightly. Rho stared at me, so much worry in those beautiful eyes. “Who was it?”

“One of my old team members. The Hangman killed two more women.” There was no point in holding back. Rho deserved to know what she was mixed up in, what I’d put her in the path of. Because it wasn’t enough that she already had one twisted person after her. I’d added the potential of a second.

She reached for my hand, weaving her fingers through mine. “You’re not alone.”

“I should be.”

Rho’s fingers spasmed around mine. “Don’t.”

“It’s the truth. I knew this bastard had ways of getting information on me, ways of finding out who was important. But I still let myself get mixed up with you.”

She gripped my hand tighter. “Anson.”

I swallowed hard as my back molars ground together. “No one’s more important to me than you, Rho. You’re everything. And he probably knows that. Which means there’s no one he’d rather hurt than you.”

Every word burned on the way out of my throat, scarring the flesh as they entered the air.

Rho yanked my arm so hard the force had me stumbling forward. “You are not bailing on me.”

“Rho,” I croaked.

“You try and bolt, and I’ll hunt your ass down.”

My lips tried to twitch, but they couldn’t quite get there. “I worked for the FBI. I think I could evade you.”

Rho arched a brow. “You don’t know my skills. I found out my college roommate’s boyfriend was cheating on her five states away with nothing more than a first name and the color of his car.”

This time, my mouth succeeded at curving.

“So, I’d find you. And then I’d kick your ass for trying that BS. So, don’t. Or if you do, take me with you. I’ll run wherever you want. We’ll make here wherever you need it to be.”

My throat burned; so much emotion was building there. Maybe I should say yes to protective custody, take Rho with me, and stay until Helena got The Hangman, and Trace caught whoever had Rho in their sights.

I pulled Rho into my arms, dropping my forehead to hers. “You’re with me. If I leave, if I stay, wherever the hell the path leads, you’re with me.”

Rho’s hands fisted in my tee. “Always. Whatever comes our way.”

But I knew how dark and twisted whatever could be. And you never knew when it might strike.