“I bet he might take you if you asked him.”
“Maybe.” She scrunches her nose like she doesn’t believe he will.
Carmen walks over to pat her side. “Come on, it’s late. Your dad’s going to think we had an accident.”
“Stop by tomorrow, and we can practice driving,” I tell her. “If you want, I mean.”
“Carmen! You just had a vodka,” Blake scolds. “I’ll drive you back.”
Hugs are shared, and Pepper shakes my hand. They head out the door, and the room feels quieter with them gone. I start collecting plates, and Hana takes out plastic storage containers for the leftovers.
“They’re always such a whirlwind,” she laughs. “Carmen’s dating Pepper’s dad, but she’s known Pepper her whole life. It’s okay if you decide to change your mind about the driving thing.”
“No, I want to. It’ll give me something to do.”
Otherwise, I’ll be going crazy worrying about Dirk the whole day.
Norris appears and takes the plates from me, claiming it’s his job to clean up. Hana puts the leftovers in the refrigerator, and we walk into the living room. It’s so different being here legitimately and not sneaking around in the dark.
“I’ll be glad when the guys are back,” I say quietly.
“Shew, me too. I’d like to sleep in my own bed again, but Blake said we have to stay here together. My overprotective big sister.”
Looking down, I pick at my cuticle. “Dirk told me what they did to you. When you were younger, I mean. I’m so sorry.”
Her lips tighten, and she touches my hand. “You couldn’t have done anything to stop them. You’re younger than I am. We were both their victims.”
I walk to the window, looking out at the barn. “I wasn’t born in that cage, but I couldn’t get out of it. Then when Simon died, and only Natasha was left, it was my chance to try.”
“So you took it. I understand that.” She walks up beside me. “And if Scar is your brother, that means we’ll be sisters. We’ll be family!”
If we’re lucky. The unwelcome thought drifts through my head, so I push it away for something brighter, forcing a smile. “Are you ready to be a mom?”
“I certainly hope so.” She exhales a soft laugh. “I’m pretty close, so I’d better be. Scar wants a family so much.”
“I never wanted a man or a relationship. Every relationship in my life has been transactional, except for my dad. And Dirk.”
“You love him?” Her lips press into a smile, and I blink down, unable to stop the smile curling my lips, the warmth squeezing my chest and stomach. “You do! I knew it!”
“I’ve got a lot of making up to do.”
“That’s the best part.” She puts an arm around my shoulders, giving me a side-hug. “I’ve got to take a bath, then I’m headed to bed. This baby is wearing me out, and he’s not even here yet. Did Norris show you your room?”
“Yeah, I’m on the same side as you guys.”
“In that case, I’ll see you in the morning.”
In the middleof the night, I sit straight up in bed with a start. It wasn’t a nightmare, but something is definitely wrong. It was a noise, something horrible I’ve never heard before, yet it’s a sound I recognize nonetheless.
My heart beats too fast, and an orange glow emanates from outside my window.
“Oh, God!” I throw back the covers, stumbling in the darkness as I search frantically for my jeans.
Jamming my feet in the pants legs, I grab the sweater off my chair and pull it over my head, over the T-shirt I was sleeping in. Running as fast as I can for the back door, I’m grateful I’ve been in this house in the darkness. I don’t fall as I tear through the kitchen, jogging down the back steps and skidding to a stop as my eyes widen in horror.
The barn is on fire, and the horses are squealing in the most blood-chilling way. They’re trapped in the inferno.
“We’ve got to get them out!” Hana screams, and I look back to see her running from the house as well in her nightgown and cowboy boots with a long coat pulled over her shoulders.