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She only tried to pull out of my arms once, giving me a hard look. When I yanked her forward, she almost slipped on the stairs.
“Stop fighting me, Sarah. I don’t want you hurt.”
“Isn’t that exactly what you want? Isn’t this about your guilt for not being able to save your brother while you were able to save me? Then you found out who my father is and believed I did it on purpose. Didn’t you?”
I allowed a smile to cross my face. Saying nothing, I pulled her up the remainder of the stairs, leading her toward the room I’d equipped specifically for her. The door was closed, the lock in plain sight, although I’d only use it if necessary. She had no idea the amount of guilt riding me, often becoming suffocating.
She swallowed hard then shook her head. “A prison. That’s my sentence for trying to save a dying woman on an icy morning. Just so you know. She died because I wasn’t able to save her.”
I hadn’t heard the reason she’d been on the road. Did that change anything? Not at this point. “This can be your prison if you choose to make that way.”
“It will always be my prison. Until the day I die.”
As soon as I opened the door, the dogs came running and she squealed with delight, dropping to her knees.
“Babies. I thought I’d lost you.”
I remained where I was, scanning the room. I knew she’d expected a barren room, devoid of furniture unless I’d placed a cage in the center. It was far from the truth. “Let me untie you. I will not lock you in, but Dillon will be with you at all times.”
“Am I really the reason he’s still alive? For some crazy reason, he’s loyal to you.”
The question was loaded. “You managed to keep me from doing something I would ultimately regret.” I was surprised I’d admitted it to her.
She seemed pleased with my answer, some of the earlier spark returning to her eyes.
She stood, turning to face me and holding out her hands. Only then did she glance at her surroundings. I’d given her the master bedroom, a location I’d chosen not to stay in the few times I’d been at the house. I’d planned on using it for something else, even if my father had made the selection for me, a college graduation present. There were too many bad memories associated with it, including a personal tragedy that would never allow me to enjoy the building or the surrounding grounds.
My head ached, another reminder that she would do anything possible to seek her freedom.
As I untied her wrists, I noticed a change in her eyes, the sadness that I expected. When her hands were free, she backed away, folding her arms.
“This is… not what I expected,” she admitted.
“This is yours. Obviously, I’ll need to get you some additional clothes. I’ll make certain and purchase whatever dog food you need. For now, this is going to have to do. I have business to attend to.” Dillon had already made certain they had water and food bowls in the room, even retrieving the toys she’d shoved into the small bag.
“It’s beautiful.” I sensed she hated admitting it.
“It will do until you make it your own.”
“What are you doing?”
“Handling the son of a bitch who attacked my sister.”
She dared walk closer. “An eye for an eye.”
“That’s always been effective.”
“How much blood do you have on your hands?”
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the truthful answers to.”
“I want the answer. Those hands touched me in passion. Right now, I feel dirty, as if I’m tainted by the blood of so many others. It makes me sick inside.”
“Feel free to take a shower. The door is right through there.” I heard the terseness in my voice and so did she. I hadn’t intended for this to turn into an argument. She would follow my goddamn rules or face the consequences.
As the dogs continued jumping on her legs, she shook her head, her brow furrowed. “How can you live with yourself?”
“Because that’s what I’m required to do.”
