“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I’m going to offer you a job and you should know what you’re getting into before you accept.”
“You want to hire me to kill him?”
“No. I want to hire you to stop him from killing me. And not just him, but anyone. I’m tired of being taken advantage of, Riggs. I just want peace. I’m not going hunting for anyone if that’s what you’re worried about. If he doesn’t come for me, he’ll be perfectly safe.”
“But you know he will.”
I nod. “He won’t be able to resist.”
“Who is this guy?”
I swallow, twisting my hands together. “My father.”
As the sun sets, I look out at the land and feel a sense of peace washing over me. The place is so vast, it’s hard not to feel small and insignificant. I lean back as the sun dips behindthe hills and make a mental list of all the things I need to do tomorrow. I feel exhausted before I’ve even begun.
I’m not going to lie, I hope Riggs says yes. When he left, he said he’d let me know. That was it, but I suppose I had laid a lot on him. My only hope is that he doesn’t tell anyone. And if he does, I’m banking on them not believing him. After all, as far as I’m aware, only me, Dale, and my dad know the truth.
I head inside before it gets dark and walk to the kitchen. When I opened the fridge earlier and found all the food, I quickly texted Jen to tell her everything was forgiven. It’s hard to be mad at the one person who cares about you.
Not in the mood to cook, I plate up grapes, cheese, crackers, and crusty bread with a thick layer of butter, and make my way to the living room. I curl up in front of the new TV.
The room I once avoided like the plague now looks inviting, thanks to the throws and cushions decorating the sofa. Lamps and end tables have been added, giving the room a warm, cozy feel, along with a fluffy rug in a latte color and a large bookcase filled to the brim with books. The chair my father always favored now has a cream throw over the arm and a tall lamp that leans over it, making it the perfect spot for reading. Someone else must have agreed, because a table next to the chair has a brand-new Kindle sitting on it, along with a note in Jen’s writing that says, “Enjoy.” That woman really did think of everything. And it wasn’t just this room. She thought of the bathroom, my bedroom, and the kitchen, too. I could get around to doing up the other rooms when I wanted, but for now, everything would work great without me having to tiptoe around my triggers.
Once my food is gone, I place the plate on the table and climb into the chair, tugging the throw over me. I grab the Kindle and open the book I loaded earlier, about an MC, in which the female protagonist finds herself involved with multiple men. I found the premise intriguing.
I must have been reading for hours because my Kindle says I’m at 87% when I kid you not, the house tenses.
“What is it?”
I close my eyes, trying to feel what the house is. A familiar scent reaches me—Old Spice and cloves. Real or a figment of my imagination, I don’t know, but I’m not taking any chances. I know who smells like that. They have done for as long as I’ve known them.
Dale Larson.
I blow out a steadying breath. “Turn out the lights.”
The house does as I ask without protest, both of us on the same page when it comes to this man, at least.
“He hurt us. He has to pay. Will you help me?”
I feel the air stir and a caress across my cheek, which I take as a yes.
I knew they’d come. I just didn’t expect it to be this soon, and I thought it would be my father. But I should have realized he would send his lackey so he didn’t incriminate himself.
I tap my fingers on the edge of the chair. I had thought I might get at least a week while they came up with a plan. I should have remembered that patience was never one of my father’s virtues. Oh well. I can adapt.
I tap the screen of my phone. It’s almost midnight. I click it back to sleep, letting the darkness envelop me once more. It feels comforting for once, as if the shadows are keeping me safe, protecting me from an outsider who seeks to harm me. As mad as this house is at me, I know it doesn’t want to see me hurt. It wasn’t strong enough to help me before. My powers had started to come in early, but it wasn’t enough to sustain the house. God, how impotent it must have felt. And then I was gone, leaving it to drown in sorrow for so long, I’m surprised I can feel it at all. But I don’t need the house to protect me now. I just need it to have my back. I’ll protect us both.
“Let him in.”
I take a deep, soothing breath and feel my gift move inside me, urging me to strike out. But I keep my heart rate even, my breathing calm, and remind myself that we’ve waited a long time for this moment. We can wait a little longer.
I sense him before he enters. I wonder if he’s surprised that he made it inside. Or if he assumes that now I’m back, I’ve broken the seal, so to speak.
My whole body is tingling with awareness as he gets closer. I can hear him now as well as sense him. Though he’s trying to be quiet, I hear every minor scuff of his shoe and hitch of his breath. The house gives a quick pulse of warning, making me frown. An image of a gun flashes in my mind for a moment, shocking the shit out of me and making me grab my head.
Was that the house or me? I’ve never…or maybe I have. I don’t know. Some things I wrote off as my imagination, but now I’m not so sure.
