“What about the tracer?” Knight asked.
“That’s a little different. I actually have no idea if it will filter out like everything else or if it will react differently. I’d have to do extensive research, and I’m not sure any of you want to be a test dummy on something I’ve only read about until now.”
“So, we just take our chances and move on with life?” That didn’t sound like a very good idea.
“No, they’ll keep searching for you,” Knight said. “They found you at the hospital. It won’t take much to figure out who you are and where you live. Along with all your family.”
The blood drained from my face at his words. “My family? They’re in danger?”
Rob slid his arm around my waist and pulled me against his body. I shivered in his warmth, his body heat doing nothing to lessen the guilt running rampant through me.
I messed up.
Again.
And if my family got hurt, it would be all my fault. My brothers were just starting families. My sister just had a baby. How the hell was I supposed to look them in the eyes and tell them that my trip to Vegas had put them all in danger?
“Hey, we’ll figure this out,” Rob whispered.
But it didn’t matter. None of it did. Not when I would see that look of disappointment in my father’s eyes or have to hear my mother whisper how it would somehow be okay.
“Excuse me,” I whispered, turning and practically running from the room.
“Krista!” Rob called behind me. “Hey! Wait up!”
But I didn’t want to wait. I wanted to find a room and hide where he would never find me, so I wouldn’t have to explain why this fuck-up was so much worse than the last.
“Hey!” he shouted, grabbing me by the arm.
I didn’t think. I spun and swung with all my might. My knuckles cracked against his strong jaw, and the pain that shot up through my hand was excruciating.
“Son of a bitch!” I shouted, curling my hand into my stomach to lessen the pain. “What is your face made of?”
“Why the hell did you punch me?” he exclaimed.
“Because you were chasing me.”
“Yeah, to talk. Not to murder you,” he scowled.
Sighing, I shook out my hand, wincing as it throbbed with every heartbeat.
“Come on. Let’s get ice on that.” He gently reached out for my hand. “Or are you gonna punch me again for trying to help you?”
Huffing out a laugh, I allowed him to take my arm and guide me through the massive house to the kitchen. I took a seat and waited as he grabbed an icepack out of the freezer, cracking it and making it bendy for me.
“Do you guys keep those on standby?”
“Knight has everything on standby.”
Gently, he placed the pack over my bruised knuckles, brushing his thumb over the back of my hand. “So, you want to tell me what that was all about?”
“You mean my mental breakdown?”
I knew there was no way out of this. The only thing I could do was come clean.
“I already told you I’m a bit of a disappointment in my family.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t say why.”