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stools. “I want to be there for you, but you have to let me know what’s going on.”
    “I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have kept that from you,” I mutter as I look down at the floor.
    “What else haven’t you told me?” he asks.
    My insides twist into a ball of nerves as I say, “Well….”
    “What?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.
    I sit down next to him and try my best to explain everything that has happened over the past few days. Several times he tries to lift himself off of the stool to go see for himself what I’ve gotten myself into, but I’m able to hold him off until I finish telling him everything.
    “You should’ve called me! I could have taken him to the hospital outside of town or….” he starts.
    “He wouldn’t have survived that long. He was barely alive when I found him. I honestly didn’t have a choice,” I explain.
    He gets up from his stool and storms down the hallway into my bedroom. Dillon’s eyes fly open as Steven enters the room. He looks over to me with a questioning look.
    “Um, Dillon, this is Steven. He’s… a really good friend of mine,” I try to explain. I look over to Steven and watch as he rolls his eyes.
    Dillon nods, but neither of them speaks. They just stare at each other, speaking volumes with their silence. I watch as Steven’s eyes skirt over the tattoos on Dillon’s arms. Thankfully, he’d put on the t-shirt and pajama pants that my father had brought earlier, but that doesn’t do much for hiding the brightly colored ink that covers his body. I look back over to Dillon. He seems amused by Steven’s reaction, and it’s only making matters worse. I need to break the tension building in the room, but I’m not sure what to say.
    “Uh… Steven, we should let Dillon get some rest.” Steven glares at me as he turns and heads out of my bedroom.
    “What are you thinking?” he barks as he walks down the hallway and into the kitchen. He stops when he reaches my front door and drops his head. He stays that way for several seconds before he turns back to me and says, “I’ve really tried to be there for you, Ana, but this is just too much.”
    “You’re my best friend, Steven. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but I can take care of myself. I can handle this,” I say, trying to ease some of the tension between us.
    “I’ve loved you since the night I saw you searching for your cat in the backyard wearing nothing but your t-shirt and knickers. There’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do for you,” he says in a low voice, almost a whisper. He is lost in his thoughts for a moment before he continues, “What happens when this guy ends up hurting you?”
    “He won’t… I won’t let that happen,” I promise.
    He lets out a deep sigh and walks out of the house. I consider going after him, but I know it is better to give him some time. I know he loves me and wants the best for me, but he has to learn to let me make my own choices… whether they’re right or wrong.

Chapter 7
    Sheppard
     
     
     
    The conversation I had with Ana’s father keeps replaying over and over in my head. Everything he said made sense, but I’m not sure I can follow through. News of the shooting at Calvert City had made the newspapers, and it didn’t take much for him to figure out that I was involved. Even after I explained what I could, he was still concerned. He was worried that I might bring trouble for Ana, so he asked me not to contact anyone while I’m here.
    “She’s all I’ve got. I’ll do anything to protect her,” he’d said as tears filled his eyes. It gutted me, and I knew then that I had to agree to his request. I couldn’t guarantee that our troubles with the Black Diamonds were over, so I agreed not to contact my brothers. I couldn’t risk putting her in danger after everything she’d done to save my life. Besides, I’ve decided that I like the thought of being here with her until I get back on my feet. I