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“Understand what?” Avery shouted, her chest heaving as her anger flared. “That she’s property? That she’s yours to mark and control?”
“No, Avery,” I said firmly, stepping closer and lowering my voice. “To make her understand that she’s not alone. That she doesn’t have to carry the world on her shoulders. That she has me.”
Avery stayed silent for a moment, seemingly taken aback. “You have a sick way of showing care, Declan,” she finally spat.
“Maybe,” I conceded. “But at least I’m willing to fight for her. What have you done for her, Avery, aside from leading her into trouble?”
Avery’s face fell, but she quickly masked it with renewed anger. “You don’t know anything about us, Declan. You don’t know what we’ve been through!”
“Then enlighten me,” I countered. “Tell me why you’re so hell-bent on leaving. Tell me why you’re pointing a gun at me instead of trying to understand what I’m saying. Tell me why you’re ready to tear your sister away from me.”
The question hung in the air between us, a challenge wrapped in the form of an inquiry. Avery’s breath was shaky as she struggled with her reply.
“You’re ridiculous,” Avery spat, her grip on the shotgun wavering as she glared at me. “You’re a killer, a threat. Clover’s not safe with you.”
“On the contrary,” I retorted. “She’s safer with me than she ever was on her own. I’ve got a darkness in me, Avery, that’s true. But that darkness can protect her, guard her from the threats you can’t see.”
“I don’t believe you,” she said, but her voice lacked conviction.
“I don’t care if you believe me, Avery,” I said. “I’m not asking for your approval. I’m telling you how it is. Clover is mine. I’ll get rid of Hank, I’ll keep her safe. She’s going to have a life, Avery. A life where she’s not constantly looking over her shoulder, not constantly taking care of everyone else.”
Avery shook her head, looking smaller somehow. She seemed to deflate, the fight draining out of her as reality set in. “I just . . . I want to see Clover,” she murmured, her gaze dropping to the ground.
“I know,” I said, softening my tone. “And you will. But you need to understand, things are different now. Clover is mine. And I’ll do whatever it takes to protect what’s mine.”
“Can I see her now?”
“She’s resting. I don’t want her to have to worry about what you’ll think or about taking care of you. Let her rest, Avery.”
Avery nodded slowly, the fight gone from her. “Will you take care of her?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“You have my word.”
She chewed on her lip before responding. “And what is your word worth, Declan?”
I considered her for a moment. “Everything,” I replied. “My word is my bond. Whatever I say, I’ll do it. And Clover will be taken care of.”
Avery hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Okay.” She lowered the shotgun, no longer pointing it at me.
Relief flooded me. Avery had come to her senses, and for the moment, everything was okay.
“So no more running away?” I asked, my voice gentle.
Avery shook her head. “You’ve shown we can’t escape. I suppose we can stick around to see if you can take care of Hank and his men,” she replied.
“What about Laura?” I asked. I needed to know how many people I needed to keep an eye on.
“I insisted she take Carson out of here.”
I nodded. “Good. Tell her to stay away until Hank is dealt with. Should be a couple of weeks.”
“Alright.” Avery took a deep breath before continuing. “You know, I want to believe you, Declan. I want to believe what you said about taking care of Clover. She deserves to be taken care of, and I don’t think I can do it.”
I smiled, understanding her reasoning. “You don’t have to,” I said. “But I will. And I’ll do it better than anyone.”
Avery nodded, her shoulders slumping in resignation. “I suppose we will see,” she conceded.
For a long moment, we stood there in silence, the quiet broken only by the chirping of birds in the distance. Finally, Avery broke the silence.
