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Being known to the family, and trusted despite my recent transgression, the guys let me through with a brief nod and nothing more. I took the stairs two at a time, hoping I wouldn’t run into anyone else before I found Maeve. I might lose my nerve if I did.
I rapped on her door and waited, sending up a silent prayer. Success. I heard her shuffling about before coming to the door, opening it without hesitation.
Maeve’s eyebrows rose as she saw me, her arms crossing over her chest as she leant against the doorframe.
‘What can I do for you?’ she said.
‘Can I come in?’ I glanced up the long, opulent corridor, relieved to find it remained empty.
‘To my room? Why?’
‘I need to talk to you.’
‘About Esther?’
‘Yes.’
She mulled it over for a moment, taking a peek down the corridor herself. ‘Fine, but make it quick.’
From her body language, I couldn’t tell if she was pissed at me or not. Her brothers didn’t seem to be, although Malcolm still raged on, his directions short and harsh, his eyes still avoiding mine unless absolutely necessary.
I took a seat at her desk, swivelling the chair to face her as she sat on the edge of the bed. Silence hung awkwardly as I tried to find the right words. If she went to her father, or Harold, it would be bad news for me.
‘How is she?’ I said, eventually, the need for information on Esther outweighing everything else.
‘Broken-hearted. Terrified. Lost. How else could she be?’ Maeve picked up a cushion and squished it against her chest, her voice softening when talking about her sister.
‘I need to get her out of there.’
‘Are you fucking insane? Look where that got you both. He’d kill her without a second thought if she tried to run again.’
‘That’s why I have to get her out. She’s not safe there. You know it and I know it. Is that the life you want for her?’
Maeve’s face darkened as she fixed me with a glare. ‘Of course, it’s not what I want. I want her to be happy, but what choice does she have?’
‘A difficult one. Lose everything and run for the chance to be happy, or stay and spend every day knowing that she’ll be hurt, tortured and abused by the man who killed two of her family members.’
‘There is no choice.’
‘There will be. I’ll find a way.’
Maeve chewed on her lip as she watched me. ‘Do you love her?’
My heart quickened at even the thought of it. ‘Yes. I know it’s hasty, but I’ve fallen head over heels for your sister. I can’t imagine going through my life without her. Having to watch someone hurt her again and again and not being able to protect her. To cherish her the way she deserves. I know it’s hard as it drops you in the firing line, but I can’t sit by and do nothing. She’s been failed enough. I don’t just want her to be happy. I need her to be happy. I can’t live like everything’s fine when I know she’s not okay.’
Maeve’s face softened as I spilled my guts, the words vomiting out of me. Words I should have told Esther while I had the chance.
‘She deserves to be happy. I’m not afraid of being next in line. There’s no way on earth I’d marry Harold. I’m the youngest, but my dad and siblings baby me too much. How can I go on knowing she’s sacrificed herself to him for me? I’ve been trying to get her out, but it’s impossible. Harold owns the whole building, and it’s armed thoroughly by men told to shoot to kill if they see anyone not on the approved list.’
‘How’s she coping?’
‘Badly. Harold... well, he touched her. He stopped before it went further than hands when his son interrupted and insisted there were some sort of issues he had to attend to urgently. She’s hurting and scared and I don’t know how to help her.’
My muscles twitched with fury at the thought of him trying to force himself on my girl, on him feeling like he can take whatever he likes from her. My chest burned as I fought down the urge to punch something, to destroy. To lash out with the lack of control I felt.
‘Will they be going to the wedding directly from where she is?’
‘No. We are having a big dinner here tomorrow night with our family and theirs.’
