Haven Bound

42. Chelsea

42

Chelsea

The party is in full swing by the time we make it back downstairs. Groups of people are spread out over the Anders’ property. I wasn’t fully prepared to see just how many colleagues Austin has. He has explained that a handful of the people here are part of Zack’s security team and answer to him, even though Austin’s father, Will, is the one who calls all the shots in this area.

I also learned that there are a small handful of other nurses, besides Hailey, and a few doctors who work on-call for the Phoenix Legion.

Being surrounded by so many professional hitmen has me feeling safer than I’ve ever felt in my life. I know that every single person here would be able to protect me if the situation called for it. However, it’s also left me with this desire to prove that I can take care of myself. I need Austin to know that, while I do appreciate him coming to my rescue in regards to Jason, I’ve been taking care of myself for far longer than I should have had to.

Not that I plan on putting myself in any kind of danger. The thought makes me realize just how long it’s been since I’ve had the chance to hit up one of the local shooting ranges. If he hadn’t come back into town, I would’ve been several times over the past few weeks as a way to work out all of the fear and frustration I’ve been feeling .

As on edge as I still feel in regards to Jason, Dan’s death, and my latest conversation with my mom, I’m still doing my best to live in the moment. Between laser tag, the bonfire on the beach, and now being surrounded by Austin’s family and our closest friends, I can’t help wanting to focus on the future instead of being wrapped up in the past.

Austin’s fingers are laced through mine, acting like a security blanket, keeping me grounded as he introduces me to a few more people he’s worked closely with over the last seven years. I’m surprised at the wide age range of members as well as all of the different job descriptions. I’d assumed that everyone here was just like Austin, but it seems like most of the people here actually do more behind-the-scenes work. Austin, who I now know they call "Ace", is one of about two dozen members who actively take target assignments.

After everyone had a few drinks in their system and started to relax, the guys who had told me their names were Shadow, Ghost, and Blaze reintroduced themselves as Aiden, Liam, and Nate. Knowing their true identities somehow makes me feel like I’ve officially been accepted into the family. Even if I haven’t done anything to earn my place. They all have their reasons for doing what they do, their own traumatic pasts or experiences that lead them to where they are now. The only one who doesn’t seem to harbor any darkness is Amy, who is a second-generation Legion member just like Austin and Hailey.

By the time the sun is setting on the horizon and filling the sky with vibrant orange hues, most of the attendees have said their goodbyes, Will and Lara have gone inside for the night, and it’s just the six of us. Ethan showed up at some point while Austin and I were upstairs in his bedroom. As far as I know, he isn’t involved with the Legion in any capacity, but he’s still part of the Anders’ inner circle.

Quinn, Hailey, and I are getting the display items from the dessert table loaded into the catering van when Quinn becomes unsteady on her feet. She stretches a hand out to catch herself on the side of the van, and I watch as her head dips toward her chest. We rush to her side, Hailey placing a gentle hand between her shoulders. “Whoa, what happened? Are you alright?” Hailey asks.

Quinn shakes her head and braces her other hand against the side of the van. Hailey takes a small step back from Quinn, keeping a hand on her shoulder as she visibly checks her over. “Come on, let’s sit down for a minute.” Hailey’s voice is gentle as she helps Quinn turn around, both of them lowering to the ground with their backs propped against the van.

“What happened?” a deep voice barks. The three of us look up to see Zack running in our direction. Hailey and I watch as he drops to his knees in front of Quinn. One of his hands rests on her leg, while the other moves to cup the side of her face, tilting her head back to try and make her eyes meet his. She mumbles something as I watch her eyes try to grasp on to his face, fueling the worry coursing through me.

“We were just loading up the van when she stumbled like she was light-headed. She’s been fine all day. She hasn’t said anything about not feeling well,” I tell him.

Zack nods his head but doesn’t tear his eyes away from Quinn. “When was the last time you ate?” His voice is stern, laced with a note of concern and something else I can’t quite place, and though I know his tone isn’t directed at me, it still causes goosebumps to pepper my skin .

As hard as I’ve worked to overcome and process a lot of my trauma, some things will likely always remain a part of me. Like how my body tenses and fear crashes through me any time a man takes a strong tone with me. In this instance, I know that Zack’s words are not directed at me. He’s clearly worried about Quinn. We all are. But that doesn’t stop my emotional reflex.

Quinn shrugs her shoulders in response to his question, her eyes still unfocused and her skin tone looking pale. His eyes narrow at her dismissal, his voice practically vibrating as he growls, “Your blood sugar is too low.”

“I’ll go grab her something,” I chime, walking back toward the house as quickly as I can. We just finished packing away any leftover desserts before we’d started to load up the display items into the van. I snag a couple of cookies and wrap them in a napkin, taking them back outside. Austin and Ethan joined the group in the few minutes that I was gone, everyone now crowding around Quinn, concern etched on everyone’s faces.

I hand the napkin of cookies to Zack who proceeds to break off a piece of one and hold it up to Quinn’s mouth. “Open up,” he soothes. She obliges, and he slips the piece of cookie into her mouth, waiting for her to chew and swallow it, then repeating the process.

“I’ve got her. She needs some space,” Zack says, looking over his shoulder at all of us. “I’ll make sure she gets home safe.” I desperately want to ask if something is going on between them with the way he was so quick to rush to her side, but I know that now isn’t the time.

I kneel beside Quinn and place a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. “Text me when you get home and let me know if you need anything, okay?” She nods her head in response, and we all say our goodbyes to her and Zack. I feel terrible leaving Quinn, but if the way Zack is looking at her is any indication, I know that he won’t let anything happen to her.