Sentinel by Karrie Roman

Author:Karrie Roman [Roman, Karrie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: NineStar Press, LGBT, bodyguards, hurt-comfort, grief, men with children, rescue operation
Publisher: NineStar Press, LLC
Published: 2018-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

BEN

“Okay, Zach, Phia, and Mary, we’re going to need you guys to carry the packs. Ethan and I will have the girls in the rigs.”

“How far are we going?” Zach asked.

“It’s about a two-hour walk to the spot where we’re going to be picked up by my brother. We’ll make our way there and hope we can get through to Cameron.”

“And if we can’t?” Phia timidly asked. Ben suspected females speaking up like this hadn’t exactly been welcomed in Piper’s cult.

Ben exchanged a glance with Ethan. He didn’t want to have to walk out of here with this little group, but he knew if it came to it, both he and Ethan could do it. He’d delay that option as long as possible though.

“We keep moving. We’ve got plenty of supplies, everything we need to be fine for days. People from your…um, your…camp might be following us so we can’t stay still.”

It didn’t take them long to pack up their gear. Mary and Ethan fed and organized the twins while he, Zach, and Phia pulled down the tent and packed the bags with the most essential equipment. He’d debated about leaving anything behind as he had no idea when they’d be able to get through to Cam and how long they might be stranded out here—with more mouths to feed than they’d planned for.

“Ben?”

“Yeah, Zach?”

“That gunshot…”

Ben turned to find Zach’s wide eyes fixed on him. Ben was no expert on reading people, but even he could see the question lurking in the young man’s gaze. He had a choice. He could lie to Zach; there was no reason he ever had to find out what Ben had done—at least, not when he was standing two feet away from him. Or he could tell him the truth. Zach had been lied to all his life, most especially by his father, from what Ben understood. Maybe it was time for people to stop lying to him.

“It was me,” Ben answered simply. “Zach, I… I’m so sorry, but I shot…” Admitting his actions was so much harder than he thought. He’d never had to admit what he’d done to the family of his targets before. If he had, maybe he’d never have lasted so long.

“My father,” Zach whispered. They were far enough away from the others that nobody would hear their conversation. Phia, at least, would freak out if she heard, understandably so.

Zach sat on the ground, doing his best to get the collapsed tent back into its cover while they spoke. Ben sat beside him, turning so he could look him in the eyes; he wouldn’t shy away from what he’d done.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know how else to stop him.”

“He wasn’t a good man, but he was my father… Is he dead?”

“He wasn’t when I left, but…” He shook his head and reached out a tentative hand to place on Zach’s shoulder. He had no idea what the response to his touch would be, but he wasn’t really surprised when Zach flinched away from him.

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