I think Jonah’s just as flabbergasted as I am when Kellan says this, because his eyebrows shoot up for the tiniest of moments.
“If she’s up to it, Chloe could fortify the walls,” Kellan continues smoothly, “and the building is already a pretty secure location, especially after this last winter. Nobody gets in past the doorman without prior approval. We can even add somebody from the Guard to stand watch in the lobby.”
Is he referring to the Sophie fiasco? I hate even thinking about it like that—hell, hate thinking about it at all—but it seems ... the gentlest way to dub it. I mean, his ex-girlfriend who just so happens to be obsessed with him got into his apartment more than once without anyone knowing about it. Was found naked in Jonah’s bed—
A light bulb pops nearby. Everyone jumps and then immediately looks to me.
I pretend not to notice. For crying out loud, I wish these things would stop happening to me. I can’t risk ruining yet another hospital room.
Callie rubs her forehead. “This is an awful idea. Mom, tell them. This is the worst idea ever.”
I have to agree with her. It is pretty much the worst idea ever. Poor Astrid simply opens and closes her mouth a few times. Yep, she thinks it’s awful, too.
But then Jonah asks me, “Do you think you are up to it?”
Again, my answer is, “Um?”
To everyone else, he asks, “Can we have a moment here?”
The room clears in less than a minute, including Kellan. Once we’re alone, Jonah sits down next to me on my bed. “I know this isn’t ideal. But, I’m going to be honest with you. If there is anyone else in these worlds I can trust to protect you, to ensure your safety, it’s my brother.” A small, side smile slides across his lips. “You know as well as I that, outside of you, Emotionals control the Elders best.”
“Um—”
“I wish I could feel you right now.” His fingers trail across my collarbone. “But I don’t have to use my craft to know you think this is a terrible idea. You’re worried about hurting him, right?”
He knows me too well. I’m also worried I might legitimately break my foot, kicking Will’s ass and all once I’m back on my feet.
“It’s not like we will be sleeping in the same bedroom as him, or even on the same floor. He will be downstairs in his apartment. We will be up in ours. Will’s idea is sound; we can put a staircase to join the two apartments so Kel could get to us in a hurry if need be. It doesn’t have to be permanent—just until we know what’s going on, your safety has to be our first priority.”
He says all of this so calmly, so assuredly, but the thing is, I see his other hand unconsciously flexing in and out. This is stressing him out just as much as it is me.
“He wants me to tell you he’s okay with this.” Jonah’s attention wanders to the door, as if he can see his brother on the other side of it. “It will make him feel better, knowing you and I are nearby.”
I don’t even know what to say. Not that I can actually say much right now, but still. It certainly wouldn’t be, Oh hey, Kellan, let me flaunt my loving relationship with your brother in your face on a daily basis in our one, big, awkward home.
“If you want, Will and Cameron can come and stay with us, too. There is plenty of space for them. It’ll be like one big happy family.”
Oh yes, such a happy, happy family. Collateral damage keeps running through my mind. I am a Creator. My strength far outmatches anyone else’s. It’s me who should be protecting them. It’s me Enlilkian wants and I’d bet everything I own he wouldn’t hesitate to ensure everyone around me is collateral damage in his efforts to get me.
Maybe he’d go after them even when I’m not around, like the Elders did with Cora back when we were in high school. And that thought terrifies me.
Well, hell.
Against my better judgment, I cave in and agree. It’s best to keep everyone close.
Jonah’s apartment—no, our apartment isn’t finished being remodeled. There are tarps and paint cans and soft dust steeped in the smell of fresh wood from construction everywhere. It isn’t warm and cozy like the Danes’ apartment I’ve been living in since moving back to Annar a few months back, nor even worn-in like the ones Jonah and I used to inhabit across town.
I’d been looking forward to moving in here and working with Jonah toward making it not his, not mine, but ours. Our first home together. The place we choose to spend moments large and small in our lives. The place into which we might someday welcome a child.
We’d just gotten re-engaged before the attack, but had done it right this time. We’re choosing to spend our lives together for the right reasons—because it’s what we want, not what we think we ought to want or what Fate says we should. We were going to take our time building this home. We were repairing all the damage we both inflicted on our relationship.
And now ...