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"Not necessarily They ht she was dead Lord knows she looked dead when you puled her out"

Caleb’sbody, the way he’d puled the sheet over her head to keep the dust froh to nearly send hie He held on to his temper by a thin thread "So why now? Why haven’t they cohteen months?"

"It took her six ain It took another six months before she was able to take care of herself and move out of her parents’ hootten any sort of media attention for her foundation, and I think that’s what did it Her naht after that big news article that plastered her face on the front page of the local paper If there’s anyone out there ants her eliht not have even realized she was stil alive until recently"

That et her into protective custody"

Monroe sighed "You can try to talk her into it, son, but she’s been refusing it ever since she regained consciousness"

"I don’t care," said Caleb "We should ht think she is That alone puts her in danger"

"If she doesn’t want to go into hiding, I won’t force her It wouldn’t work anyithout her cooperation, and I’ive in if you can, but any woot to be about as stubborn as God canto oing to take a while, you ht as wel send in my replacement She’l be more comfortable with someone she can trust Lots of them, just to be safe"

"Sorry, Stone Can’t do that Al my men are tied up at theinto thin shreds His words hissed out fro in someone else’s men, sir"

"You’re already there and know the situation She knows you You’re the best man for the job, and she deserves the best, don’t you think?"

"Stop trying toabouta fact You’re the best ot to be hel for her to have to see ain" He kneas He’d made her cry, damn it

"Maybe that wil convince her to cooperate faster, just to get you out of her life Stay put I’l send someone else if and when I can"

With that, Monroe cut the connection and left Caleb writhing in frustration Lana needed someone else to watch out for her--someone ouldn’t remind her of how she nearly died Soain

Bedtime was always the worst tier each night, but it was nearly two in thepils she’d taken so she wouldn’t remember her dreams, she was too exhausted to put off the inevitable

Lana turned on every light in her bedroohtness It helped ease the fear that clawed at her bely, but only a little Caleb showing up and unearthing al those htmares worse She was sure of it She wanted to screaun to his head or whatever it took to make him leave, but in her heart, she kneas too late Even if he left now, the dae was done The memories Caleb had stirred caused a wound to reopen, and she was going to have to go through the long, torturous process of letting it heal Again

Lana lay on her bed and curled up into a tight bal as she struggled not to cave in under the weight of her fear This shouldn’t be happening Not now Not after al this ti of the shattered reet what had happened

She’d worked so hard to get to this point She’d sacrificed everything--her career, her fiancé, her friends, hera norest, most horrible days in her life And stil, she hadn’t let it beat her She’d fought and struggled and forced herself to endure the pain of rehabilitation so that she could survive and do so out of control, caving in around her It was so fucking unfair that she choked on the rage weling up in her throat She wanted to lash out and break so, but she didn’t dare Her control was stretched too thin to alow her to let go for even a rip on herself There was too et it done She feared that if her foundation crashed and burned, she’d lose her last reason to keep going, to keep fighting off the pressure to give in to her terror and let it consuo As close as she was hovering to the lie Just a short fal She could colapse in on herself and let the world go away She’d almost done it once after the doctors had told her she’d never walk again, probably never have children because the beatings had daain and let the cal she felt herself slip that much closer before she puled herself back, shocked that she’d even consider giving in People needed her The kids needed her She couldn’t let theht this threat with every ounce of effort she had left in her There wasn’tshe’d already done, but she had to try It was the only way she could live with herself

CHAPTER FOUR