Chapter 4

Rhys watched me for a moment. Maybe he realized how that had sounded, because his voice eased a little.

"You're here now. Come inside."

I didn't move.

"No, thank you."

If he'd never meant any of it, there was no reason for me to stay.

Besides, it had been too long since I'd seen Danny.

Just thinking his name made my grip tighten on the suitcase.

Danny Hollis was my little brother. I hadn't even known he existed until right before Mom died.

He was seven years younger than me and autistic, with high support needs. He barely spoke and didn't like being around people. For years, he'd lived at Linden Hill, a residential program way out past the suburbs.

Mom had kept him a secret for most of my life. I only found out when she got sick and I started going through her bills.

All those years she'd worked herself into the ground, it was never about paying off debt. It was Danny. His school, his therapy, his round-the-clock care. Insurance and the state covered part of it. The rest, over forty thousand dollars a year, was on her.

Bill after bill ate up everything she had. In the end, it ate her up too.

Before she died, she held my hand and asked me for one thing.

Take care of your brother.

So four years ago, when Pierce paid for her last surgery, I couldn't help being grateful.

And when he said, "Stay with me," I didn't say no.

It wasn't only because I owed him. It was Danny, too.

The program. The therapy. The meds. The staff. Every piece of it cost money.

I was twenty-two. I had nothing except a brother I'd promised to take care of. And Pierce could give me exactly what I needed most.

That was why I'd been so easy all these years. Even when he humiliated me. Even knowing how little I mattered to him. I almost never pushed back.

Even tonight, when he told the driver where to take me, I got in that car, as much as it hurt.

I wasn't okay with being passed from one man to another. I just knew I couldn't afford to do what I wanted.

Every month, Pierce had someone send the payment to Linden Hill. If he felt like it, one word from him and it would stop.

I couldn't risk that.

Thinking about it made me tired all the way down to my bones.

At least Rhys didn't want anything to do with me. I didn't have to stay.

"I need to be somewhere."

Rhys frowned slightly. "Now?"

I nodded.

"It's four a.m." He looked out at the dark road. "You won't find a ride out here."

"I'll figure it out."

I took hold of my suitcase. I'd gone maybe two steps when the front door opened.

"Rhys? What took you so long?"

The voice was soft and sweet. I stopped.

Celeste Ashby stood in the doorway in white loungewear, her hair twisted up loosely. No makeup. She was still so pretty it almost hurt to look at her.

She'd been smiling. When she saw me, the smile slowly set. Then her eyes dropped to the suitcase at my feet.

"Maren Hollis?"

So she knew who I was. That didn't surprise me. She'd have heard all about the woman who'd been at Pierce's side for four years.

Then her face went cold.

"What are you doing here?"