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“But Kit must never know,” Jay warned. “And you trying to escape, or you doing anything but cook, clean, care for Kit, and somehow find a life on this property will land you in a shallow grave.”
“It’s a lot to take in,” Rye said. “We understand that.” He began to walk toward the door. “Which is why you have until tonight to decide. Kit will be here, and we won’t risk her seeing you unless you are full of smiles and hope.”
Smiles and hope.
Smiles and hope.
Were these men serious? How the fuck would I ever again manage to smile or to hope?
Without saying anything else, they both left the shed, closing the door firmly behind them.
Kit was a broken bird, they said.
I was a ghost in purgatory, they said.
Rebirth.
Rebirth.
“Wait!” I screamed. “Don’t leave me here! Come back!”
I waited, desperately hoping they wouldn’t make me wait and stew on my decision. I didn’t have a decision. I was a dead person. I was nothing but a shell with but one chance to survive by doing as they asked. I couldn’t fight these men. I couldn’t fight this new life. My decision was made for me, and I didn’t need to spend any more time in this woodshed to figure that out.
I sat there and listened but heard nothing. “Please!” I screamed. My body ached. I needed water, food, sleep, and my sanity to return. “Don’t fucking leave me here.”
As the door opened and a bright light flooded in, I knew.
I knew what I’d chosen.
Rebirth.
9
Goldie
I stood in the middle of the room, staring at the lace curtains and the floral wallpaper. Everything about the kidnapping had been a whirlwind. Despite having to accept there was no escape—not if I didn’t want to risk dying or harming Kit—I was still struggling to wrap my head around everything. Was I crazy? Had I reallyagreedto this? Well… it was either this or being used and abused and left to rot in some shallow grave.
Last night, I’d been treated to Kit’s scream of delight as she, and Banks had climbed out of the truck. Jay had nudged me down the porch steps, Rye following as we greeted them. Kit had run over, wrapping her arms around me, hugging me hard as tears of happiness ran down her face. I’d managed to smile back simply because there was not a single ounce of forced joy from the young woman. Her brothers might be capable of playing their parts, performing in this crazy, insane play I’d agreed to star in, but Kit’s joy was pure. Our happy surprise had been brief as she was tired from the trip. But with the dawn, I knew my life rested on my ability to convince her… to convince them all, that I was happy to be part of this little family.
I walked over to the bedroom window and pulled at the wooden frame until I was able to slide the pane of glass up. Sticking my head out, I looked around at my surroundings. Since I’d been completely unconscious when arriving, this was the first time I’d had a chance to see the land I’d now be calling home.
Leaning out the window, I inhaled deeply. Amazing how the very air was different from one day—one location—to the next. Instead of the dank, earthy breaths I’d drawn in the dark woodshed, breaths tainted with fear, here, in this room, I could feel the sun on my face and every lungful of oxygen was fresh, clear, and filled with a floral scent.
Looking down, I saw there was a lattice beneath my window, willowy green branches twisting through the slats. Hundreds of yellow roses covered the trellis, and I could hear the faint buzz of bees as they flew from blossom to blossom. I could easily imagine the climbing roses supplying nectar for the bees who would, in turn, provide honey for their queen. It all belonged to a cycle of life that in a normal situation would have had me excited about being here.
Livestock of cows, sheep, and horses were scattered along the land for as far as I could see. I noticed the remnants of a huge garden in the backyard, though the fence around it was barely intact. I could do a lot with that garden. The sight of a large well to the right of the garden had me wondering how many coins had been tossed into its depths.
Wishes made.
Wishes granted.
If I made a wish of freedom, would it ever come true?
Even if the wishes purchased by those coins were left ungranted, at least the source of our water was close by. I pulled back and shut the window. While I had to agree I’d never seen a more pristine piece of land, and would admit I could easily visualize all that could be grown on it, I doubted life with the Barrett Brothers was going to be a piece of cake, no matter what they promised me.
Part of the family… fuck that.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I should have been terrified and desperately planning my escape, but I’d never been one to waste time lamenting things that could not be changed. For right now at least, I needed to accept. My life depended on it.
