“Molls?” Piper croaked into the phone. She glanced to see the hour. Five a.m. “Are you okay?”

“Probably,” Molly hedged. “I got a phone call from Mitch. A drunk call, I think. That boy needs to go to A.A.”

“Seriously. What did he say?”

“It was all babbling, but I know he mentioned you. And he said the word danger a couple of times. It was like trying to decipher Latin. Well, before I took Latin. Did you ever talk to him?”

I must have terrified him, Piper realized. “Oh, Molly. I think I might have traumatized him. I know you said that he called before crying about some people who had died in the Amazon. And now I go and tell him I think the Prados are in danger. He’s probably convinced there’s some crazed pharmaceutical company killer on the loose.”

“I mean, maybe,” Molly stated. “It’s not like you know what’s going on.”

“True. But I seriously doubt there is anything Mitch has to worry about. I wonder if I should call him.” Suddenly, Piper recognized her opportunity. She really wanted to check out the Prados’ second house. “Hey, Molly. Since you’re awake, can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“If things work out, Sebastian and his cousin are going to go on a fact-finding mission in the next day or so. And,” she wasn’t sure how Molly would react. “I have another lead to follow. It happens to be in New Haven.”

“I’m not going anywhere near this,” Molly insisted. “Not physically.”

“No, Molls. I didn’t expect you to. I just want to tell my sister that I’m coming to see you.”

Molly sighed. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“I’m going to their house near Yale. It’s as safe as a place could be in this circumstance.”

“What if someone is watching the house? What if the Prados are there but you put them in danger?” Molly was very obviously unhappy with Piper’s idea.

Whatever she needed to do, Piper had to calm her friend’s fears. “Look, I will call you as soon as I get close, and then you can call me 15 minutes later. That will be enough time for me to survey the house and decide how to go forward. And you can know the whole plan before I do anything. I just need an excuse to leave Lily here again and strike out on my own.”

“I still don’t like it, but if you keep me in the loop - and if I get to call you and don’t have to wait around for you to call me - I guess I’ll play along.”

“You’re the best, Molly. If I’m there late, can I sleep at your mom’s? I haven’t seen her in years.”

“She’d love that,” Molly agreed.

Piper hung up the phone and slipped on her house shoes, easing her door open so that it didn’t make any noise. Now that she was awake, she wanted coffee. She reached the bottom of the stairs and stumbled back against them, arresting her forward motion when she saw the shape of a man silhouetted against the breakfast room’s bay window. Apparently, she had gasped, because the shape turned toward her.

“It’s me, Piper,” the familiar voice came, and Piper released her breath.

“What are you doing awake so early?” she complained lightly.

In answer, he rumbled a laugh. “It’s something I enjoy, the silence. The solitude. Especially the sunrise. It’s better over the water, but it’s still pretty wherever I am.”

“Did you make enough of that for me?” She pointed to the coffee cup in his hand as she continued into the kitchen.

“Actually, I made a small pot, so yes. I sometimes want two or three cups.”

Piper couldn’t restrain a snicker. “How do you stay so calm?”

Smiling, he stepped into the kitchen and reached for another mug. “Every day in peace is so much easier than the life I grew up with. I usually feel calm.”

Once he poured her a cup, he invited her to sit on the porch with him and watch the sunrise. It wasn’t exactly a romantic gesture; just a friendly one, and it warmed Piper inside. Still, what he had said both piqued her curiosity and broke her heart. What could possibly have happened to him when he was young that made regular life feel tranquil? Even while he was running from bad guys?

Soon enough, the horizon transformed into a gentle pink glow, the sun painting the cirrus clouds as radiant, rosy strokes across the sky. Sebastian seemed entirely alone as he stared across the morning, and Piper had no desire to intrude. She did enjoy watching him appreciate the beauty, an experience she imagined she would remember for a very long time. She savored the vision as he was slowly illuminated by the sun. The awakening rays catching dark copper glints in his wavy hair, his tanned skin transforming from rich dark almond to glowing bronze as the shadows receded, his deep brown eyes glittering with copper. It was like watching a master’s painting unfurl.

When her phone buzzed, she gasped in surprise, so enthralled was she in the exhibit before her.

“What was that?” Sebastian wondered, seemingly shocked to find himself back on solid earth.

Peering against the glare, Piper pulled in a breath. “It’s Luke. He has a location.”

“I guess he’s up early, too.”

She showed Sebastian the location.

“Greenwich?” Sebastian noted. “That is very close. Ask him when he wants to go.”

Piper typed in the message, waiting for a reply. “He says he can’t be here until this afternoon.”

Crossing his arms across his chest, Sebastian peered around him, pausing almost imperceptibly on Piper as he completed the circuit. “You’ll be fine here,” he declared, seemingly to himself.

Though she recognized his concern, she had to work not to roll her eyes. “Yes, I’ll be fine, Sebastian.”

“Why don’t you call me Bash?” He turned to look at her.

Frustrated, Piper stared at her hands. “It’s a long story, actually.”

“You’ve only known me a couple of weeks. How long could it be?”

Her mouth twisted as she glared at him. “Fine, it’s complicated. It’s a defense mechanism.”

Sebastian laughed. “A defense mechanism?”

“If I call you by your proper name, then I’m not familiar, and if I’m not familiar, then I’m properly distanced. Which is something I have to think about with you.”

“With me more than others?” he sounded a little hurt, but she didn’t know how to help him

Of course, with him more than others. With others, she could use familiar expressions, put forth the requisite image that would make them most comfortable. With Sebastian, she couldn’t afford “comfortable.” The slightest step toward familiarity sent her tripping down a slippery slope, desperately grasping for something to right herself. His proper name gave her just a beat longer to rein herself in so she didn’t throw herself in his arms. She was absolutely ridiculous about him, and she did not know him anyway well enough to invest so much. From almost the moment she had met him, her life had roiled like a tempest, and the insecurity had made her desperate for a harbor. She really liked Sebastian Rivera, but it was one thing to find a harbor in a storm, and a complete other to expect the harbor to be safe. Until her life settled, she couldn’t invest in in him – no matter how much she wanted to.

She was rescued from answering by a small face pressed against the glass of the door. “Noelle!” Piper intoned, standing and sliding the door open. Piper raised the girl to the hip and walked over to get her coffee.

“Bash!” Noelle squealed, lowering her arms to him.

“Even she calls me Bash,” he complained, though he couldn’t look too cross with little Noelle on his lap.

That’s because it won’t break her heart if you turn out to be a jerk. Sebastian was not in danger of becoming necessary for Noelle’s existence; he was very much in danger of becoming necessary for Piper’s.

“Guess I had better go cook some breakfast,” Sebastian informed Noelle, and Piper didn’t stop the smile that lit her face.

They are literally adorable, Piper affirmed silently.

For the rest of the day, both Piper and Sebastian seemed determined to avoid uncomfortable situations. They stayed among the group, pointedly speaking to everyone but each other. Before Piper would have expected, Luke had pulled up in the driveway, and she was stepping out to greet him.

“It’s good to see you,” she offered with a smile.

Luke laughed stepping to take her outstretched hand. “From what Bash had said, I expected you to look much more anxious.” He raised her hand to his lips, a way-too-formal greeting.

“I think that’s his projection,” she insisted, pulling her hand back. “I am fine. He’s a little mopey.”

Just then, Bash stepped out the front door to see what was going on. Luke spun Piper, throwing his arm casually across her shoulder as they strode toward the house. Though she didn’t welcome Luke’s familiarity, Piper thrilled at the irritated glance the gesture drew from Sebastian.

“Sorry I couldn’t be here earlier,” Luke explained. “I had some work I had to finish.”

“It’s fine,” Bash assured his cousin. “Nothing unpleasant about spending a couple of days in a place like this.”

“True,” Luke smiled down at Piper, and she glanced toward Bash to see how he would respond. Of course, he was fully engaged with Lily, and Luke stopped inside the door, formally waiting to step past the foyer until welcomed in by the owner. As Jennie approached, she noted Luke’s arm draped across Piper. He dropped it, adopting a more proper stance as Piper made introductions.

“Maybe I read you wrong. This one’s a keeper, too.” Jennie grinned, and Piper sputtered a protest. “Come on in,” Jennie insisted to Luke, oblivious to Piper’s pique.

After a five minute regroup, Bash and Luke stepped out the door. Piper couldn’t help herself. She followed the pair out, and while Luke rummaged through a few things in the trunk of the car, she grabbed Sebastian by the hand.

“Be safe,” she urged in a hushed tone as he peered up at her in surprise.

“I will,” he acknowledged, his eyes shrouded with skepticism.

“I just…I’m sorry. I know I’m confusing. I’m confused. Whatever. I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Sucking in a breath, Sebastian wrapped his arm around her shoulder, wedging her head beneath his chin. “This is nothing, okay. Greenwich is one of the safest places in the world.” He released her before the contact could turn to anything more than comfort, as if shying away from any hint of restraining her again.

“I don’t like that you’re going without me. You’re so determined that I stay here, but you don’t need to protect me!”

Despite his determination to stay casual, her words lanced through him. He gripped her by both arms so he could look directly into her eyes. “Piper, you keep saying that, but it is the most ridiculous thing to say.” She started to protest, but he cut her off. “Of course, I need to protect you. It’s what you do for people you care about. It’s what you would do for any of the people in that house – even though I sometimes doubt it, I know it is what you’d do for me. What would you think if I told you that you don’t need to protect me?”

Stunned, Piper stepped back and watched Sebastian make his way to the car. The words were stupid – of course she didn’t need to protect him. But the fact that he had spoken them meant that he knew her far better than he should have after such a short time. It was true: she would run into a burning building or a hail of bullets to save Jennie or Molly or one of the kids. That wasn’t hard to surmise. But what she hadn’t thought anyone could notice – what she had hardly admitted herself – was that at some point in the past few days, she had brought Sebastian Rivera into her circle of protection. He should have suspected her of hating him, if he read how she judged him from the way she treated him. Somehow, though, he knew how much she cared about him. Did he see that she pushed him away out of fear, to protect herself from her own feelings? To avoid making herself vulnerable to him while life had her upside down, knife to her throat? How could he know that she was a basket case who wanted to protect him even as she held him at arm’s length?

Even she didn’t understand herself – not really. Why she could want to kiss him one minute and the next shut herself away in a room to keep him out? Now she wanted to run after him and force him to stay, to forget the Prados and resign himself to entertain Lily until she was back with her parents.

Piper, though, could not do such a thing. Where her instinct shouted for her to protect Sebastian, her reason told her that he and Luke were the most qualified to fight out a dangerous situation. So she said nothing as they made their way to the car.

Luke shut the trunk just as Sebastian lowered himself into the passenger seat. Assured that Bash wouldn’t interrupt, Luke sauntered over to Piper. He reached up and brushed a curl off her forehead. “We’ll find the Prados,” he offered, apparently an attempt to comfort her.

“What are you trying to do?” she confronted him, her hands squarely on her hips.

When a smile curled his lips, Piper found butterflies dancing in her gut. Her own equivocation disgusted her, but Luke’s obvious attempt to attract her couldn’t go unanswered. Whatever her opinion of him, his imposing image coaxed her without her permission. It was as if Luke and Bash had formed a conspiracy to perplex her. “I am trying to do exactly what you think I am trying to do,” he stepped closer, grabbing her waist and tugging her gently toward him as he locked his eyes on hers. His eyes shone more translucent than usual, as if gold infused them from behind.

Piper shook herself to break the spell. Raising her hands, she placed them between herself and Luke in a futile attempt to push him away. “I don’t believe you,” she complained, turning her face away.

“I’m surprised at you, Piper,” he lowered his mouth to her ear. “I thought this would be easy, but you are much more difficult to persuade than I expected.” To his surprise, the fact that she had resisted him despite her obvious curiosity intrigued him. He guessed he was getting his first experience of feeling attraction for a mark. Apparently, Isaac was smart to have Luke practice. If he had found himself in a similar state on a mission, he might lose sight of the goal.

Piper finally glared up at him. “That, at least, is the truth. You might consult with your cousin about how easy I am to persuade.”

Luke laughed, releasing her and smiling as she stumbled back a step. Without another word, he spun and sauntered to the rental.

Flustered, Piper walked back into the house only to be verbally assailed by her sister.

“That Luke is seriously cute!”

“He is, but I’m not interested.”

“You looked interested out there,” Jennie accused.

“I -” Piper stammered. “I don’t understand him. I keep meaning to tell him off, but he distracts me. But I am definitely not interested in the sense you mean it.”

“Bash, then?” Jennie pressed.

“Why exactly are you digging around in my love life?”

Laughing, Jennie continued unabashed. “It’s my job as your big sister. You’re graduating soon, you’ll get a job. Marriage and babies are next.”

“If that’s what I want,” Piper countered.

Jennie shrugged. “Maybe not right away, but you aren’t the type to stay single forever. Besides, it’s very obvious that you are interested in someone. You’re doing that emotional flip-flop thing you do when you are terrified of your own feelings.”

Incensed, Piper turned on her sister. “I do not do an emotional flip-flop thing!”

“You’re doing it right now, Pip.”

Standing up straight, Piper drew in a calming breath. “I’m not emotional. I’m fine. And, of course, I will date someone. I’ve dated in the past.”

“You’ve been on dates. That’s not the same thing.”

“Regardless, I have lots of options besides just Luke and Sebastian. I’ve known Luke less than a week. There’s Ben from Brown. He and Molly and I do lots of things together, and he is totally interested in me. There’s Mitch, a friend of Molly’s current flirtation…”

“Mitch whose hair you pulled?”

Piper bit her lip. She had forgotten she had told her sister that little detail. “He apologized to me for being a jerk. Said he was drunk, which he was. It was a very thorough and believable apology. And he even talked about getting together again.” A half-truth wouldn’t hurt if it got Jennie off her back. “In fact, he’s in Mystic right now and talked about meeting in New Haven. Molly’s there at her mom’s, you know.”

Apparently, the talk of plans brought the current situation back to Jennie’s mind. “So, we haven’t really talked about Lily. It’s been great having her here – she is a distraction and playmate for Noelle – but Brian comes home the day after tomorrow. Fortunately for us, he stayed gone longer than he had planned, but his schedule is definite now. I mean, he’s great with kids and would probably say he enjoyed having her, but you know how introverted he is. He’ll say yes but then be exhausted.”

Sighing, Piper walked over and picked her laptop up off the table. She needed to make something happen fast because she didn’t know what she would do with Lily. Heading up the stairs, she pulled out her phone. She shouldn’t contact Mitch. For one, he might interpret her text as a rekindling of her nonexistent interest. For another, Mitch had nothing to offer her other than someone to call the cops if he heard her scream. She hated the idea of going alone to look for two people who were hiding from a dangerous situation. Molly wasn’t an option, and Luke and Bash were on their own mission. Literally, she had no one else to call.