Chapter 66 Gun

Chapter 66 Gun
Liam

I’ve only been here once before. I was fifteen, right before Dad and I moved to Italy.

Maya clung to my arm as we stepped into the cabin, looking around. 

The place was just like any old-fashioned cabin. 

Built in the 1700s, but my dad had done some renovations before he died. The fireplace, a few of the rooms... It was manageable.

“Are you staying here with me?” Maya asked quietly, tugging at my arm.

I looked down at her. Her brown eyes met mine, looking completely shaken. Frightened. 

Knowing her, this whole thing was finally beginning to sink in. 

Maya processes things differently from the rest of us. She acts like she’s tough, like nothing affects her, but behind closed doors she’s fragile.

I nodded. There was nowhere else I’d rather be right now.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I told her, intertwining our fingers and squeezing.

She watched me for a second, like she didn’t fully believe I wouldn’t just leave. My jaw tightened as she looked away. I left her once before. I couldn’t exactly blame her for being skeptical.

Marie cleared her throat, her eyes jumping between us. “Um, I have to go now. Shay will be worried,” she mumbled.

I nodded. “Yeah. Thank you for your help. It really means a lot.”

She gave a small smile. 

“I’m happy I could help. If you want, I can grab you guys some groceries and...” She gestured around the room, which definitely needed work to look livable. “Whatever you need.”

I tucked my free hand into my pocket. “I’ll send you the list. You can take my car.”

It was the easiest way. We were a long way from the main road, and while it wasn't exactly safe to let her leave with our only car—she had to. We needed basics before we could even figure out what to do next.

Marie nodded, walked closer, and wrapped her arms around Maya. She whispered something to her that I didn’t quite catch. Maya just nodded and sniffed before letting go.

“Thank you so much,” Maya whispered.

“I’ll see you both tomorrow,” Marie mumbled, walking toward the door. She hesitated at the threshold, looking back at me. “Stay safe. The both of you.”

She walked out, shutting the door behind her.

Maya and I just stood there for a second, watching the door.

“Come on,” I said, trying to kill the silence before it got awkward. “Let’s check the bedroom.”

She nodded. I led the way down the hall, Maya pressed hard against my side.

The cabin was originally built for families taking summer holidays to look at the hills. Turns out it was a good business back then. 

Now? No one wanted to stay in some deserted cabin just staring at hills all day.

We walked past two bedrooms opposite each other and kept going toward the master bedroom at the end of the dark hallway. 

Yeah, the electricity was out. 

We were definitely going to need a whole lot of things.

I turned the knob, pushed open the wooden door, and stepped in. Maya followed right behind me. I watched her eyes roam the room. 

This was one of the spaces my dad had actually finished. Drawn curtains, a huge bed in the middle of the floor, and polished wood. He’d changed the lightbulbs and a few other things, too.

I walked over to the window and yanked the curtains open. A gush of fresh air hit me square in the face. 

I closed my eyes, sucking it in, then just stared out. This room had the best view of the hills and a bit of the porch on the right.

Suddenly, Maya’s arms wrapped around my waist from behind. I let out a breath as she rested her head against my back.

“We’ll be fine, right?” she whispered.

I blinked at the sight of the hills, knowing I was about to tell her "yes" when in truth I had no fucking idea. 

I didn’t know what these people were capable of, or what they actually wanted from us. We couldn’t even go to the police because it wasn’t safe—they could have intel there for all I cared. 

It was entirely on us to protect ourselves, but I couldn’t stress her out with that.

Not when she was carrying my baby. Our baby.

“Yes.” My voice came out a little hushed. I cleared my throat. “We’ll be fine.”

I turned around to face her, holding her gaze so she knew I meant it.

“It’s our responsibility to protect our baby,” I said quietly.

Maya pressed her lips together, dropping her eyes before I could look too closely at the guilt in them.

“I’m getting a gun tomorrow,” I announced. It was the only way I could keep them safe.

Her eyes snapped right back to mine. “What?”

I nodded, reaching for her hands. “Yeah. I know it doesn’t sound right, but it’s all we can do.”

Her face looked torn, probably debating if we were doing the right thing or not.

“Yeah,” she whispered.

I nudged up her chin so she had to look at me. “You’ll have to learn how to shoot, too.” Just in case something happens to me. 

I didn’t say it out loud, but from the way her brows drew together, she figured it out anyway.

She snatched her hands out of my grip. “Nothing is happening to you, Liam,” she muttered, biting down hard on her bottom lip.

I sighed heavily. “I’d rather die than let them take you away from me.”

“No.” Her voice broke.

I pulled her into my arms. She didn’t want to hear it, but it was the truth. I might lose my life in this.

But I’d happily sacrifice it if it meant she and the baby were safe. 

It was the least I could do. 

The very least.