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We sat in silence for a while, lost in thought. It was Avery who broke the quiet, her voice quivering with a hint of hope.
“We could . . . sell the horses. To Mr. O’Riley. He’s always been asking about them.” Her words hung in the air, carrying the weight of a potential solution.
A pang of grief stabbed through me at the thought. Those horses were more than just animals to me. They were part of my family, part of me. But . . . they could also be our ticket out.
“And my lease is up in two months,” Laura added, her voice barely audible. “We could . . . leave. Never look back. Put your house up for sale.”
The idea felt so foreign, so unthinkable. Yet, it also offered a glimmer of hope, a possible escape from the madness that had become our lives. It was a desperate plan, one fraught with uncertainty and risk. But perhaps it was the only plan we had.
“But what do we do in the meantime?” I asked, looking between them, the gravity of our situation sinking in further.
Avery bit her lip, her intense stare meeting mine. “You . . . you should go along with Declan. Pretend . . . for all our sakes.”
Laura nodded in agreement. “It might be the safest option for now. If we poke the bear . . .”
My whole body tingled with anticipation at the thought of continuing the charade with Declan. But I understood their point. We were playing a dangerous game, and one wrong move could tip everything into chaos.
Swallowing my apprehension, I nodded. “Alright, I’ll . . . I’ll be with him. Pretend that everything is normal.”
“Then when the time’s right,” Laura added, her stare firm and resolute, “we leave. All of us. Together.” Laura cleared her throat, a thoughtful look on her face. “I have a friend, she lives in New Mexico . . . She has some land and a guest house. Her husband is a cop. We could go there, lay low for a while until we figure out our next steps.”
New Mexico. The thought seemed distant and unreal, yet it sparked a tiny flame of hope within me. A sanctuary, a safe haven amidst the storm.
“But . . . Laura,” I began, my voice wavering, “I don’t want to drag you and Carson into this. It’s—”
“No, Clover.” Laura cut me off, her tone firm. “We’re in this together. You’re not dragging us anywhere. We are choosing this. Choosing to stick with you.”
I swallowed hard, feeling a rush of gratitude for these women, my pillars of strength. Their determination fortified my resolve, despite the daunting journey that lay ahead. We would face this storm, and we would survive. Together.
DECLAN
Climbing out of my new truck, I paused, pocketing my keys and glancing at the dilapidated farmhouse. A weighty piece of metal pressed against my thigh inside my pocket, a constant reminder of why I was there. The ring. A little something I bought last night.
I bought a truck to haul Clover’s horses around. I knew she needed one, and my bike was fun for feeling her hot body pressed against mine, but we needed something more practical.
Money was never a problem. It hadn’t been for a while. Killing paid well. But it wasn’t about the money. Not anymore. It was about providing for her, giving her the life she deserved.
My eyes swept over the property, taking in the cracked wooden siding of the house, the rusty, half-collapsed barn. The place was a shambles, but I could see its potential. I could fix it, make it a home, a real home for both of us. I thought about the barn, her horses. I knew how much she loved them; I bet she dreamt of transforming that run-down barn into a proper stable.
I fished the ring out of my pocket, studying the glittering diamond. It was a simple design, nothing flashy. Just like Clover. She wasn’t the kind to be swayed by shiny things, but I wanted her to have it, to know my intentions were serious.
Time was a bullshit construct. We didn’t know each other for long, but we’d already been through a lot. I didn’t need a year or two to decide she was mine. I was already calling her Mrs. Wilder in my mind.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed away my musings and made my way toward the house. Today, I was going to change everything. For her, for us. I just hoped she’d see that too.
The creak of the front door breaking the stillness snapped me back to reality. Avery stood there, her slender arms crossed over her chest and a deep scowl etched into her features.
“Declan,” she said, her voice steely. The defiance in her penetrating eyes was like a cold bucket of water. I’d expected this, but confrontation always set me on edge.
She looked me over for a long, hard moment before speaking. “I know what you did . . . for Clover.”
The barest acknowledgement of gratitude peeked through her tough exterior. I just nodded, not knowing what to say.
Avery took a breath, then stepped down from the porch. “Just so we’re clear,” she said, her voice tense, “Clover is all I have. You hurt her . . . I swear, Declan, I’ll—”
“I won’t,” I interjected, holding her gaze. It was a promise I intended to keep.
“I wanted to be there for her,” Avery admitted, her voice wavering. “To protect her from . . . from everything. But I wasn’t.” There was a bitter twist to her words, a tangled knot of regret and fury.
