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“I’ll talk to Knox once he knows Diamond is okay.”
None of them were safe until Kate was where she deserved to be. She should leave …
“She won’t go unpunished,” Matthew promised her. “But making yourself a target to keep us safe isn’t going to happen.”
“How did you know what I was thinking?” She narrowed her eyes on him. “Are any of you mind readers?”
Matthew grinned. “Not yet, but we won’t know until my brothers start having children.”
Morosely, she wiped the tears she had shed for Elizabeth from her cheeks. “You won’t …”
Matthew gave her a tender smile. “You’re my soul mate, Alanna. I love you. Besides”—he grew teasing—“all of my brothers have promised me their firstborn child.”
His brothers’ mouths flew open at his outlandish claim.
“We told you,” Isaac reminded him, “that you can be the first to hold them.”
Silas tilted his head to the side, as if he could hear something no one else could. “Moses, Isaac, come with me. Tate and Dustin are about to come home.”
Alanna swallowed hard. “Don’t burn her like you did Owen.”
Silas gave her a gentle look. “We weren’t going to. There’s a cemetery where our family is buried. I thought we would bury her there. I’ll make her a nice box.”
Alanna held the tears for Elizabeth at bay. Her mind went to the mother whose arms would be empty tonight because of Elizabeth’s actions instead. If Elizabeth had been aware of the plan, then Silas was right—she was just as culpable.
Matthew helped her to stand then led her into Silas’ house. Sitting her at the table, he went to the kitchen and returned with a plate of rice from the Crock-Pot meal she had made for Silas.
“I can’t eat.” She started to push the small plate away.
“I just gave you some rice. Just take a few bites to settle your stomach.”
Picking up the spoon he had brought her, she managed to take a couple of bites then placed the spoon back down. He was right; the rice had gotten the awful taste out of her mouth. However, when she realized it was Owen’s smoking body she was breathing in, her stomach rolled.
Jerking out of her seat, she ran into the bathroom and threw up. Matthew followed her, dampening a towel and placing it around her neck as she heaved over the toilet.
“Breathe this in.” Matthew held an open alcohol bottle next to her face. “It’ll help.”
She breathed in the fumes, and her stomach eased enough for her to straighten.
Pulling the washcloth from around her neck, she used it to wipe her face. The coolness eased the last of her heaves.
She lowered the cloth from her face. “Just promise me one thing.”
“Anything,” he said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“Don’t ever burn anyone near me again.”
Matthew pretended to consider the promise. “I’ll try not to.”
The man she loved couldn’t be serious for five minutes. Matthew would brighten even the cloudiest of days. He was the exact opposite of Greer.
“Do I want to know what has you smiling?”
“I was just thinking how you’re always in a good mood, joking around, and always making everyone around you feel happy. You’re kind of the opposite of Greer.”
Matthew made a strange face at her.
“What?”
