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“Can I please see her?” she asked.
“She’s resting, but you can see her when she wakes up.”
She nodded.
I watched her go, grateful that the situation had been diffused without violence. It seemed that Avery was finally coming around to my point of view.
I had made my point, and now it was time to make sure Avery and Clover both understood what I meant—and I could think of no better way to do it than to show them.
Hank would die.
I’d find out who killed my mother.
And with a little bloodshed and a little luck, we’d live happily ever fucking after.
CLOVER
The moment I stirred, a dull, throbbing pain from my shoulder yanked me back into consciousness. I winced, the crisp white sheets under me feeling like sandpaper against my stinging skin. Groggy confusion gave way to dread as I remembered what had happened—the branding, the heat, Declan.
Declan.
He was perched on the edge of the bed, concern etched on his face, but his eyes held a certain detachment. He turned, presenting me with a small glass of water and a couple of pills.
“Painkillers,” he explained, his deep voice steady.
My eyes darted between the pills and his stoic face. Nerves twisted in my gut. I felt torn, pulled in two different directions. Part of me wanted to reach out and accept his offer of temporary relief. The other part was wary, afraid of trusting him, afraid of what the pills might do.
“It’s just ibuprofen,” he reassured me, guessing my hesitation. “To ease your pain.”
The words were simple, but they resonated with a profound meaning. Yes, I was in physical pain—the burn on my shoulder was a testament to that—but I was also in emotional agony. The fear, the confusion, the sense of betrayal, everything was overwhelming.
He waited patiently, not pressing me but allowing me the space to decide. It was a small thing, but it reminded me of the man I had been drawn to, the man who’d made me feel cherished, cared for. The same fucking man who’d branded me.
“Thank you,” I muttered, my voice barely a whisper. I reached out, accepting the water and pills from him. The pills were bitter but I swallowed them down, welcoming the promise of relief.
Declan gave me a small nod before standing up. He was still distant, but I could see the concern in his expression. A part of me wanted to reach out, to unravel the enigma that was Declan, but I was too scared, too confused.
For now, I just needed the pain to subside. I needed time to think, to figure out what to do next. But the fear was ever present, a constant whisper in my ear. I was in uncharted territory, and I didn’t know what would come next.
“Your sister stopped by earlier,” Declan said after a long silence. He didn’t look at me, his eyes focused on some unseen point on the floor.
I tensed, my heart pounding in my chest. “Avery?” I croaked out, my throat parched.
He nodded, finally turning to look at me. “Yeah, Avery. She’s gone now, had to head to work.”
I felt a wash of relief, quickly followed by a pang of guilt. I hadn’t seen Avery in what felt like ages. We needed to talk, to figure things out, but right now, I wasn’t up for it. I was barely keeping it together as it was.
“And Laura?” I asked, my voice just above a whisper. The question hung heavy in the air between us.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Laura and the kid left town for a bit. Probably for the best.”
I didn’t need him to tell me why it was for the best. She didn’t need to be involved in my mess. It was a small comfort, but I was grateful for it. Despite everything, I didn’t want my problems to become hers.
I nodded, understanding washing over me. Our lives had become a tangle of peril and uncertainty, and it seemed everyone I cared about was being pulled into it. Despite the agony pulsing from the brand, the guilt weighed heavier on my heart.
“I can see you’re nervous, Clover,” Declan observed, his tone careful as though he was navigating a minefield. “You don’t need to worry. I’ve got everything under control.”
I laughed then, a bitter, humorless sound. “You expect me to trust you, after what you’ve done?” I said, unable to keep the edge from my voice.
