“I am taking Lily to a hotel.”

Nathan didn’t yell; he didn’t even flinch.

He just looked down at his phone, his thumb tapping the screen with a steady, rhythmic click.

A low, electronic chime echoed from the hallway, followed by the heavy thud of the front door deadbolt sliding into place.

The electronic chime died out, leaving only the low hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.

My heart hammered against my ribs as I stared at the deadbolt.

“What did you do?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Nathan slipped his phone into his trouser pocket and leaned his lower back against the kitchen island.

“I activated the night-safe protocol,” he said.

“Unlock the door, Nathan.”

“It is for our protection,” he said, his face completely expressionless.

“There have been reports of break-ins in the neighborhood.”

“We are not staying here,” I said, backing slowly toward the hallway.

I reached into my pocket and gripped the cold metal of the car keys.

They were useless now.

The front door was solid oak, reinforced with a steel frame and a commercial-grade smart lock that Nathan had installed himself last summer.