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But I must take my suffering self elsewhere before I do something truly wretched…like shout at that boy who stole his brother’s sled or tell Matthew Riley that his wife is sleeping with a deputy while Matt works the day shift at the fish cannery.
I take a sharp right, moving swiftly past the glowing windows of the pub in the center of town.
I don’t intend to stop or look in—I’m bound for the swamp and whatever comfort I can find in solitude—but it’s as if a siren starts wailing in my head, warning me that all is not well.
I grind to a stop and jerk my gaze toward the glass, the poisonous knot in my throat swelling larger as I see Annie at the bar. She’s laughing, her smile transforming her already lovely face into a thing of heartbreaking beauty as she leans forward, giving her companion’s forearm an affectionate squeeze.
Instantly, I want to kill the man, to rip him limb from limb, toss his head to the monsters swarming in the winter sea, and shred his internal organs with my teeth.
Then, I realize the man is Colin, my brother, and I…still want to rip him apart.
Perhaps slightly less so, but the temptation to dash inside and toss him through the nearest wall is still alarmingly powerful.
I swallow hard, forcing my jaw and fists to unclench, but my thoughts refuse to be mastered so easily.
What the hell is Colin doing out with Annie on a Saturday night? He had his chance with her, and he squandered it. He used her to manipulate Darcy into falling in love with Blaire, then called off their fake engagement as soon as it became clear his plan had failed.
And I saw the way he behaved with her at the pre-wedding festivities. He held her hand, kissed her cheek, and attended to her needs, but he did so with perfunctory politeness. He was blind to Annie’s wit, beauty, and gently fierce heart. He didn’t see how special, how singular she truly is. He listened to her stories with half an ear and never laughed at her jokes.
But he’s laughing now…
Before I make a conscious decision to move, I’ve dematerialized, shattering into the billions of tiny pieces that allow me to move through walls, tables, and all the people tucking into their supper in the blink of an eye. I put myself back together again inches from Colin’s seat at the bar with a soft growl.
Annie flinches on her stool, emitting an adorable yip of surprise that makes me want to kiss her until neither of us can draw breath—a common occurrence when in this woman’s presence—but Colin merely arches a curious brow.
“Baron, I thought that was you outside,” he says. “Glad you decided to join us.”
My teeth grind together, and another menacing, guttural sound escapes my throat. “I thought you were out of town, brother.”
“I was, but I left the meeting early.” He takes a drink of the Pug and Crone’s signature, vampire-friendly, blood-based IPA. “The other sheriffs had little intelligence to offer, and I wanted to follow up on a few things here before the New Year celebration. How about you? Where have you been? Edmond says he’s been home from France for nearly two weeks and hasn’t seen hide nor hair of you. He’s worried you’ve been out in the barrens feeding on swamp rats and becoming increasingly odd in his absence.”
“Edmond should mind his own business,” I grumble, even though Edmond is like a son to me, and my petulant tone makes me sound like a grumpy old man.
But who cares? I’m not here to win Annie over or make her see that I’m the brother she should choose. I’m here to get her away from Colin, a womanizer who’s fucked half the town and who clearly doesn’t have the sense to appreciate a treasure like Annie.
As soon as that’s accomplished, I’ll go back to avoiding her entirely.
It’s what’s best for her. And me. And everyone else involved.
Even if it is the hardest thing I’ve done in so long I can’t remember anything harder…
“You should come by the mansion tomorrow night and tell him so yourself,” Colin says. “And then stay for the party to celebrate the renewal of the shield.”
The knot in my throat swells so large I can barely force out the words burning their way to my lips. “How could you? You don’t love her. I doubt you even know what love is.”
Colin’s brow furrows in a mixture of confusion and irritation. “What on earth are you talking about? And what crawled up your backside and died? Whatever it is, I suggest you pull it out and take a breath before you say something you’ll regret.”
“The shield was fine,” I growl, fighting the urge to snatch two handfuls of Colin’s sweater and shove him up against the wall. “We still had time. Annie shouldn’t have been forced to marry anyone, let alone you. She deserves better. Far better.”
Colin’s lips part, but Annie jumps in before he can speak. “We’re not married, Baron. Blaire and Darcy are.” She waves a nervous hand. “Well, they performed the ritual to renew the shield last night, anyway. And it worked, no nuptials required. I imagine they’ll get married eventually, but for now they’re just…enjoying each other’s company.” Her lips curve tentatively at the edges. “But I’m touched that you were concerned for my happiness.”
“Happiness had nothing to do with it,” I mutter, feeling like a fool. “It’s a matter of decency. No one should be forced into marriage.”
“Agreed,” she says, holding my gaze. “But you’re wrong about Colin. He’s a wonderful person with a lot of love to give.”
“Colin’s never met a field he wouldn’t plow,” I say, a little surprised by my own words, but not regretting them.
It’s the truth, after all.
