I hadn’t enjoyed it, but I’d survived, unscathed.

  “It was a lovely meal,” I replied.

  “Sitting beside Annette was purposely organized by Maeme. She’s good with reading people and knowing what makes them comfortable.”

  I thought back to the meal, and I could see that. She hadn’t pushed too much and had been careful to give me space, but not make me feel unwelcome.

  “Whereas Luella—she was the blonde across from me, Wells’s mom—she’s got no fucking filter. Clueless to anyone else or anything unless it affects her.”

  I hadn’t studied the table closely, but I had listened to conversations. I knew who he was talking about simply because her voice stood out. She’d been louder and very focused on herself.

  “Annette was very nice,” I agreed.

  King shot me a crooked grin, then opened the door we had stopped at. When he stepped back and waved his hand for me to enter, my eyes locked on the inside. Books covered the walls from floor to ceiling. There was even one of those rolling ladders attached so that you could reach the top shelf.

  “This is amazing,” I breathed as I went past him and into the library.

  Inhaling deeply, I felt a smile spread across my face so big that it hurt my still-sore lip. I didn’t care. I was happy. I was ecstatic. There were thousands of books in here. It would take me a decade to get through all of them. Not that I would be here that long, but the thought of a never-ending supply was the most wonderful thing I could think of.

  “Fuck,” King muttered, and I spun around to see what was wrong.

  He was studying me with a stunned look on his face. I wondered if my lip had started to bleed and reached up to check, but it felt fine.

  “This makes you happy,” he said, and then a soft expression touched his face.

  I nodded. “Yes, it does.” I let my eyes wander over the titles and colorful bindings. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “Yeah,” he whispered, then cleared his throat. “Go on and take as much time as you’d like. Stay all day if you want to. If I’m gone when you’re done, Maeme will drive you back.”

  Before I could respond, he was almost out the door. I opened my mouth to thank him and say goodbye, but he was already closing it behind him.

  Had I done something wrong? Or was he just in a hurry?

  It didn’t matter. I was here. In my own little heaven.

  • fourteen •

  “The little shithead was entertaining.”

  King

  Glancing back at Storm and Sebastian, who were covering the main floor, I found myself wanting to study the place. There was no reason for me to want to explore the fucking house. At least not one I wanted to admit. But I was curious. This was where Rumor had spent the past fifteen months of her life. This had been her home. One that had been a hell for her.

  Turning my attention back to the stairs, I followed behind Thatcher, who was taking them two at a time, as if he was in a hurry to get this over with. He was always the bloodthirsty one, but I had to agree with him this time. I was ready to see Churchill Millroe suffer.

  A nurse was closing a bedroom door, and her back was to us. Thatcher moved quickly and wrapped the gag around her mouth before she could turn around. She began to fight back, and I slipped the cloth bag over her head as he grabbed her arms more roughly than necessary, then tied her wrists with the rope he had brought. Her muffled screams were making her inhale the soaked chloroform gag she had on, which would speed up her unconsciousness. Throwing her over my shoulder, I headed to the nearest closet and shoved her inside, then bent down to bind her ankles before closing the door and leaving her in there.

  Thatcher was already in the master bedroom, standing over Churchill Millroe, who appeared to be sleeping. This had been Rumor’s bedroom too. I wondered which closet was hers. If I could get some more of her things without her questioning where they’d come from, I would. Unfortunately, my being here was something I’d never be able to tell her.

  “There was a nurse downstairs and a housekeeper. Both have been sedated and tied up. Sebastian said he would take the chloroform gag off the one up here when she finally passes out,” he informed me.

  Which meant the only person left in the house was the man we had come for. Sebastian slapped him hard across the face, causing his head to snap to the side. Churchill’s eyes flew open as he let out a strangled shout, and Thatcher slapped him even harder. He began to try and move, but his current pain medication had him so sedated that he had little control over his body. It was almost too fucking easy.

  “Yo-you got your money. You got all my money!” he cried out, his body shaking as his eyes darted from Thatcher to me.

  Thatcher hit him again, and blood trickled out of his nose as he began to cry. That was just pathetic. Son of a bitch was crying like a damn baby over being slapped after he beat the hell out of Rumor.

  “We aren’t here for the money,” I told him, walking over so that he could see me clearly. I wanted my face to be one of the ones he went to hell remembering.

  “Wh-what m-more do y-you want?” he stammered. “I have n-nothing else.”

  “Information and revenge,” I replied, then grabbed his hair and jerked his head back so that his neck was at a painful angle. “But it won’t be easy. It won’t be quick. It will be long and agonizing.” I glared down at him.

  “What revenge?” he choked out, unable to talk clearly. He already knew the information we wanted.

  I leaned down, inches from his face. “For Rumor.”

  His eyes widened even more, and I saw the understanding slowly sink in.

  “You done? I’m ready to get him out of here. I’m fucking starving,” Thatcher drawled.

  Letting his head go, I stood back up as Thatcher tied the gag around him. I waited while he then kicked up the morphine from his IV enough to completely sedate him before unhooking it and stepping back so I could toss the bastard over my shoulder.

  Sebastian was standing outside in the hall with the chloroform gag that had been on the nurse we left in the closet, swinging it around and looking bored. He glanced from me to his older brother. “Storm is out back with Wells in the Escalade.”

  I started down the stairs and tried not to get caught up looking at the photos on the wall or the touches I knew had been Rumor’s doing. Knowing she’d lived here and what she had suffered in this house infuriated me. I wanted to begin beating the man thrown over my shoulder now. See him bleed out, listen to him beg for mercy.

  Sebastian went ahead of me and opened the door to the kitchen, where he went to the fridge and grabbed a beer before going to get the back door for us. I heard him crack open the can and shook my head, unable not to smile. The little shithead was entertaining. Nothing like Thatcher. Two brothers couldn’t be any more different.

  The back of the Escalade opened, and I threw the bastard inside before closing it. With one last glance, I felt relief that he would never touch Rumor again. She was safe. I’d made fucking sure of it.

  • fifteen •

  “Not sure what went wrong in his DNA.”

  Rumor

  I was going to take more books this time. The four I had taken Sunday only lasted for three days. I had woken up early and walked the one mile from the cottage to Maeme’s. She was thrilled to see me and even insisted I have a cup of coffee with her and try one of her blueberry muffins. It was nice to feel normal. I had felt guilty about turning down her invitation to come to dinner Tuesday night. She had called me and said she’d come get me, but I had lied and said I had a headache.

  Now back in the library, I wanted to inhale the smell of books, run my fingers over the bindings, and stay lost in here forever. No fear of the future or what was to come. My ribs were feeling much better, and Maeme had said the doctor was coming tomorrow to take a look at them. My lip were healing, and the bruising on my face was almost gone. All that being said, I knew my time was running out here. Soaking in every moment I had left was important. I might never have this again. A safe place to be. I didn’t want to miss a moment of it.

  I reached for a book on the third shelf near the left side of the door that I had noticed Sunday just as the door opened. Expecting to see Maeme, I froze when an unfamiliar face entered the room. I wasn’t sure if I should scream or remain calm. Just because I had never seen him didn’t mean he didn’t belong here. There were a lot of people in this family of Maeme’s, and I didn’t quite understand all their connections, but the man was attractive. Somewhat familiar, but I wasn’t sure why. I’d definitely recognize that face if I had seen it before.

  The small grin that touched his lips seemed amused yet friendly. I wasn’t the best at judging one’s character though.

  “You must be Rumor,” he said, causing me to exhale in relief. He knew my name. He wasn’t some stranger off the street or law enforcement, looking for Carmella Millroe. “I’m Sebastian Shephard. You’ve met my brother, Thatcher.”

  I tensed up again. Thatcher wasn’t someone I wanted to be alone with, and that went for anyone closely related to him. When I took a step back, Sebastian appeared confused, and then he chuckled.

  “I should have clarified that I am the sane younger brother. I’m nothing like Thatch. Not sure what went wrong in his DNA.”

  The way his grin crinkled the corners of his brown eyes, which were free of the troubled darkness in Thatcher’s, led me to believe he was telling the truth.

  “It’s, uh, nice to meet you,” I replied.

  He glanced around the room and sighed contentedly. “This is my favorite place.”

  I didn’t say anything, but I studied him. He seemed to be inhaling the smell of books much the way I had. Interesting.

  When his eyes locked back on me, he gave me a sheepish look. “Mind if I stay? I’m here for a few more days, and I like to have something to read when I need to get away from it all.”

  I shook my head. “No. Not at all. Please, I will just get my books and leave you in peace.”

  He walked over to me, his eyes on the books in my hand. “Do you like horses, Rumor?” he asked, lifting his gaze back up to meet mine.

  I shrugged. “I like to look at them. I’ve never been close to one or ridden one.”

  He narrowed his eyes, yet his smile stayed in place. “Hold on,” he said, then walked across the room and scanned a row of books before pulling one out. When he turned back to me, he held it up. “Read this. I think you’ll enjoy it.” He told me, then placed the book on top of my others.

  I looked down at the book he’d given me. “The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts,” I read aloud, then saw that it was a true story. A memoir. I smiled before asking, “And you’ve read this?” It seemed very unlikely.

  He blushed and lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. “Yeah. But if you tell anyone, I’ll deny it.”

  I laughed then, surprising myself. This man was not at all what I had expected. He was at least six feet tall, muscular but leaner than King was. His lips weren’t as full, but his face was handsome. He was clean-shaven, and his square jaw made the rest of his features more masculine.

  I realized he was grinning at me, and I covered my mouth, feeling bad about laughing. “I’m sorry.”

  “No. You can laugh. I’m secure enough in my masculinity to handle it. Just make sure you keep this our little secret. The guys would use it as a weapon for their entertainment.”

  I nodded and held the books to my chest. “I swear to never tell a soul.”

  He let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. “Now, you read that, and the next time I’m back in town, I’ll take you to the stables. When your ribs are better, I’ll teach you to ride. You can ride Malta. She’s a sweetheart and perfect for learners.”

  The thought of getting to ride a horse was exciting and terrifying, all at once. Although I shouldn’t think about it too much. There was a good chance I would be gone by the time he visited again. I nodded and said nothing more. I didn’t want to get into my having to leave soon. He’d have questions that I had no answers to. Not yet.

  “Sebastian,” a familiar voice said in a deep timbre that made my heart speed up.

  Swinging my gaze to the door, I saw King leaning against the frame, looking at Sebastian.

  “Hello, King. What brings you to the library?” he asked cheerfully.

  King shifted his gaze to me. “I came to see if Rumor would like a ride back to the cottage.”

  Getting to be around King was too appealing to turn down. It was also concerning that I had become so happy about seeing him. It had been three days since I’d seen him last, and I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about him every one of those days. Wondering what he was doing, where he was, if he thought of me at all. None of those being healthy things for me to be focusing on, but I couldn’t seem to stop it.

  “I, uh, yes, that would be nice. Thank you,” I replied.

  He cut his eyes back to Sebastian and gave him a smirk before straightening his stance, then walking over to me. “I’ll carry the books. I was glad to see you back in here, but Maeme said you walked. You could have called me or texted. I’d have come to get you.”

  Don’t look him in the eyes. Don’t do it. I blinked and caved as I met his gaze. Those eyes of his made my stomach feel funny.

  “I didn’t mind the walk. It was a nice morning.”

  The softness in his expression made me want to curl up against him like a cat. What was wrong with me? I had to get a grip.

  “It was nice to meet you, Rumor,” Sebastian said, reminding me he was here. I had forgotten so easily.

  How was it that King could walk into a room and immediately become the center of attention? Everyone else seemed to fade away when he was there.

  Turning my gaze back to his, I smiled. “It was nice to meet you too. And thanks for the book recommendation.”

  He nodded his head, and King’s hand touched my lower back. It was a miracle I didn’t shiver under his touch.

  “Later, Sebastian,” King called out to him as he led me to the door.

  “You sure you were ready to go? I could wait for you if you wanted to look some more.”

  I shook my head. “No. That’s okay. I was about to leave and give Sebastian alone time, deciding on what he wanted to read.”

  “That was nice of you, but Sebastian can go do actual work. Like he’s supposed to be doing. He doesn’t have time to be reading.”

  I tilted my head back and looked up at King. He leaned forward then and opened the front door, not taking his hand off my back in the process. I did the best I could not to try and smell him because that would be weird.

  “Can’t say you’re wrong about it being a pretty day,” he said once we were outside. “Feels like spring.”

  We had another week before it was officially spring, but he was right. It did feel as if it was already here. I loved spring. The green trees, the flowers, the new life. It had always made me happy, growing up.

  “As a kid spring, seemed like a hopeful time.” I said the words without thinking.

  “What kind of hopes did you have as a kid?” King asked me.

  I hesitated, not sure how much I should share, but decided saying it to someone would feel like a release of sorts. And I trusted King. It had been a very long time since I had trusted anyone. Even Hill had worked to gain my trust, and I’d been cautious. Never telling him too much. Afraid if he knew, he’d never accept me. Want me.

  “Oh, you know, to have a family. Somewhere to belong.” I tried to say the words lightly but heard the heaviness in my tone.

  King’s hand on my back flinched, but he said nothing. I wished I could take it back. That wasn’t the kind of thing he’d expected to hear. I’d overshared. Made it awkward.

  “You’ll have that one day. I swear it.”

  There was a fierceness in his tone. It almost made me believe him. Forget the facts. The truth I was pretending wasn’t waiting for me. If only his words held the power to make my wish come true.

  • sixteen •

  “This shit gets messy.”

  Rumor

  As sunny as it had been the past few days, it made the suddenly dark sky and cold wind that was blowing seem out of place. The wood-burning stove had been going since I had started it this morning. The house had been freezing when I woke up.

  I walked into the living room to listen to the local weather report while wrapped in a blanket. The kitchen was much warmer, but the television was in here.

  A storm was coming this way, and I wanted to think I had faced worse things than a storm alone. I didn’t want to be a wimp, but the more the weather forecasters warned that it was going to be a strong one, the more nervous I seemed to be getting.

  I glanced over at my phone and considered calling King. I hadn’t seen him since he’d brought me back from Maeme’s two days ago. He had said to call if I wanted a ride to her house, and I was starting to think maybe I did.

  Chewing on my lower lip, I debated if I should or not. Maeme hadn’t called me or driven down here. She must not be worried about it. Maybe I should just turn off the news and read. Forget about the weather, and it would blow over soon enough. If I fell asleep before it hit, then I could sleep through it.

  The gravel crunching under tires caught my attention, and I hurried back to the kitchen just in time to see King stepping down out of his truck. I wasn’t sure if I was more relieved or excited to see him. I hurried to the door to unlock it and get it open by the time he reached the top step.

  It was almost unfair the way the man made a pair of boots, jeans, and a brown leather jacket look so good. I tried not to gawk at him and kept my eyes on his face. This thing I had developed for him was getting out of control. I knew better than to feel anything for a man.