“We’re here.”
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Emma looked around in disbelief.
“Yeah, because a cabin in the middle of the woods isn’t horror-movie cliché at all.”
Clearly unable to speak sarcasm, Agent Donovan, the man behind the wheel, said, “Agent Ryker needed to put you someplace secluded.”
“Well, he won the seclusion lottery with this place.”
Reaching for her door, she was about to get out when the Agent Donovan barked out a loud, “Wait!”
Emma nearly jumped out of her skin. “What?”
“You need to let me open the door for you.”
“Oh.” She blew out a breath. “Right. Sorry.”
A warm hand rubbed her back with a comforting caress. “This is only temporary,” Trace reminded her.
Turning her eyes to his, she did her best to offer up a smile. “I know.”
With her two guards in place, Emma exited the vehicle and made her way around the back bumper. Grabbing her suitcase and toiletry bag from the back, she took a moment to soak up the scenery.
The honest-to-goodness cabin had a green, metal roof and a spacious front porch. There was a window on each side of the centered door, as well as triangular windows filling the pointed archway above.
It was the most beautiful prison she’d ever seen.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself and be thankful you’re alive.
Emma knew the voice in her head was right, but a girl could only take so much. And right now, she felt precariously close to her limit.
“You two wait here while I clear the inside.”
Following orders, Emma and Trace waited silently as the agent assigned to them ensured the structure was safe for them to enter. When he returned, he held the door open for them as they made their way inside.
“The bedrooms are down that hallway on the right,” Agent Donovan informed them. “The bathroom is on the left, and the kitchen is fully stocked. There’s also a small patio area out back, but Agent Ryker requested you remain inside the cabin as much as possible. If you’d like to go outside, please let me know so I can accompany you.”
“Thank you, Agent. Donovan.”
“Please.” The man smiled. “Call me Howard.”
“Thank you, Howard.”
“My number is in the phone in case you need me. I’ll be around, but you won’t always see me. And don’t feel as though you have to invite me in for meals. If I get hungry, I know my way around a kitchen.”
Okay, so he’s actually pretty nice.
The man turned to walk outside, but Emma stopped him. “Howard?”
“Yes?”
“Where will you sleep?”
“In the vehicle.”
With that, Howard walked outside, leaving Emma and Trace in the cabin, alone.
Feeling unusually anxious, Emma walked over to the sliding door leading to the aforementioned patio out back. Hugging herself, she stared out at the lush, green landscape.