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She rolled her eyes. “Dad and Lock are talking about ranch stuff. They’re going over numbers and talking about ordering equipment. It’s super boring, so I told them I was coming to see what you were up to. I ran out before my brother could stop me. So, can I come in?”
“Oh, yeah.” I stepped back, giving her room to enter. “I’m not doing anything interesting either. I needed a mind break after today.”
“That makes sense.” She glanced around the living room and bounced on her toes. “Your house is really pretty. Not what I pictured a college house to be like. Lock said your dad owns it and you’re, like, the property manager or something. That’s really cool.”
“That’s true, but I don’t know if it’s cool. It is an incentive to keep the place nice, though. Did your brother tell you he rebuilt our deck?”
Her eyes bugged. “He didn’t, but I’m not surprised. I mean, he can build anything. He’s so into you, he’d probably build you a castle if you wanted one.”
Oh, balls. That was a jab to the heart, because I truly believed her. Lock had brought his dad here for me. He’d done so, so much for me. Because that’s who he was. At least, who he was with me. I touched my chest where it was pinching. She must have seen the change in me, because she rushed forward, clutching my arms.
“He told me how badly he messed up. If I’d been here, I would have punched him. Instead, I yelled at my mom and dad. Told them to look at what they had done to Lock. Because they can’t get their shit together and act like adults—don’t tell my brother I cussed—they made him give up the girl he loves. And you know what? For once, my mom had nothing to say. And my dad…well, he’s here, you know. I have a feeling now that I’m at your place, he’s probably giving Lock a fatherly heart-to-heart.”
“That’s…”
Saoirse gasped. “I’m sticking my nose in your business and you barely know me. Let me just say Lock won’t mess up again. He’s really the best man I know, even better than my dad. So, if you give him a second chance, he’ll treat you right. And then we’ll get to be sisters—which may be a deterrent for you. I promise, I’m not always this extra, I’m just so excited to meet you.”
I had to laugh. “I’m happy to meet you too, Saoirse. And I’ll tell you a secret: I’m going to give him another chance. It’s the last one he’s getting, though.”
She did a victory dance, but quickly sobered and looked me square in the eye. “If he screws up again, I’ll help you bury the body. There are lots of places at the ranch. No one would ever uncover him.”
Strangely warmed by her homicidal threats, I pulled her onto the sectional with me and made her spill about the ranch. Then she asked me millions of questions about college life. I gave her the best advice I could think of: avoid frat boys, make friends with the smart kids, and work your ass off while having as much fun as possible because real life will come too fast.
Saoirse and her dad were going to a football game later, so I told her she could borrow some of my Savage U gear and ran upstairs to grab a couple shirts for her to choose from. While I was rummaging around, the doorbell rang. My ears perked up, listening to Saoirse answer it in her friendly way, speaking to someone with a male voice who definitely wasn’t Lachlan.
The door slammed, and Saoirse made something of a panicked squeal. I shot to my feet, poised to run to help her, when I heardhim.
“Elena…come out, come out, wherever you are,” Oliver Bergen cooed from downstairs. “I want to chat for a minute.”
Oh, no, he did not. If I had hesitated, I would have panicked, but I flew into action, dropping the T-shirts and grabbing my pink bat from beside my bed. Whatever Oliver wanted, it couldn’t be good, and I was ready for him this time.
I raced down the stairs, my bat resting on my shoulder. Oliver and Saoirse were standing in the middle of the living room, his arm around her shoulders. Her body was stiff, her eyes wide, petrified. As for Oliver, his forehead was shiny with sweat, his hair disheveled in a way that seemed like he’d been clawing at it. His eyes were unblinking. His smile was manic. He’d never looked more like his brother.
“You need to get your hands off her, Oliver.”
He snorted a laugh. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Elena. This ismytime to talk.”
“Fine, I’ll listen, but not until you let her go.”
He jiggled Saoirse, making her yelp. “Nah, I don’t think I’ll be letting this sweet little girl go. I think I like her.”
“Well, she doesn’t like you.” I cocked my bat. “Take your hands off her, Oliver. Do it right now.”
“No.” He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “I don’t think I will. I don’t think I’ll do anything you want me to do, Elena. I’m going to talk about you destroying my life, and you’re going to apologize. That’s what’s going to happen.”
“I didn’t do anything to you.” I met Saoirse’s gaze, willing her to break away and run, but she was frozen with fear. Oliver was bigger than her, stronger, and he had crazy on his side. If I weren’t so mad, I’d be afraid too, but I wasn’t going to allow fear to seep in. Not until I bashed his head in and saved Saoirse.
Oliver guffawed. “Didn’t do anything to me? That’s fucking rich, cunt. You took my little brother, jerked him around for years, and ruined him.” Saliva flew from his mouth as he spit accusations so off base, they were laughable. “I’ve always believed you had something to do with him dying. The circumstances never made sense to me. Did you somehow tamper with his airbag? You can tell me the truth, Elena. It’s not like you’ll get in trouble. Who punishes pretty blonde girls?”
“Oliver—”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a switchblade. “Oh, that’s right,I’mthe one who’s going to punish this pretty blonde girl.” He gestured from me to Saoirse. “Maybe both pretty blonde girls. I don’t know if I’ll be satisfied with just one. I might have been, had you gone down this morning. Youshouldhave. That room was a wreck. There was no way you should’ve had enough time to put it back together. Butsomehow, some-fucking-how, you did. And that’s not right, Elena! You deserve everything you’ve done to me. You deserve to hurt. You deserve pain. You deserve to be ruined.”
“Oliver,” I yelled. “This isn’t going to happen.”
I couldn’t hesitate, not with the knife in his hand. It was closed, but the madness glazing his eyes warned me his intentions were more than a threat. He wanted blood.
“Fuck you, cu—”
