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I stood and chided myself for being silly. My old fears were screwing with me. I’d had to constantly look over my shoulder and wait for Dan’s wrath. That was all—just lingering feelings. Holden had been nothing but amazing to me since he’d found me in his recycling bin.
After poking around on the lower level, I located a utility room, and for the remainder of the afternoon, I cleaned and vacuumed. I listened to Spotify while I busied myself with dinner. For some reason, I felt safer in the walk-out basement or in Holden’s room than in the rest of the house.
A little after five in the evening, the sound of the slider opening caught my attention from the kitchen and my head popped up.
“Hey, babe.” Holden closed the door behind him, and I sighed with relief.
“Hey.” I gave him a warm smile, then laid the last lasagna noodle down.
“You’re the best thing I’ve seen all day.” Holden strolled over to me. He gathered me in his arms, then lifted me.
My giggle filled the room. “I missed you today.”
Holden kissed me gently, then set my feet on the floor.
“It looks like you’ve been busy.” He grinned as he eyed the pan of lasagna that was almost ready to pop in the oven.
I picked up the bag of shredded cheese and sprinkled it on extra thick. “It’s been so good to have my cast off, I ended up cleaning and doing our laundry. I hope that was okay.”
“I’m glad to see you up and moving. You don’t need to clean the house, but I’m sure Tina will appreciate it.”
I wiped my hands off on a towel, then opened the oven. Heat rushed out, and I took a step back. Once it had diminished, I slid the pan of goodness in and closed the door. My gaze roamed over the control panel again until I found the timer option and set it.
The buzzer on the dryer alerted me that it was finished, and I grabbed my cane and moved in that direction.
Holden chuckled and followed me. “I’ll help.”
We filed into the room, and I removed the clothes.
“I’m going to take you up on that since it will be harder for me to drag it up the stairs. It was a lot easier letting the basket slide down on its own.”
“I’ve got it, babe.” He leaned down and kissed me again, then he grasped the handles, and we headed to his room. I mentally debated asking him about the locked rooms down the hall, but I didn’t want him to think I was snooping.
We folded our jeans and shorts and put them in his dresser. He’d given me a few drawers and half the closet, but I didn’t have anything to hang up other than the dresses I’d worn to 4 Play. Now that my cast was off, I definitely needed more clothes.
Holden disappeared into the huge walk-in and gathered some hangers. It was strange to realize how domestic we were. How easily we had fallen into a routine, sharing a space and bed.
“Babe?” Holden asked as he hung up our shirts.
“Yeah?”
“You seem out of it. Are you sure you’re okay? I mean with what happened at the club last night?” He leaned against the doorframe, worry lines creasing his forehead as he studied me.
“I’m fine. I promise. I was just thinking how easily we fell into a routine is all.” My attention swept over the room before landing on his desk. I walked over and realized something had gotten caught beneath the glass top and the wood. Hoping that whatever it was hadn’t been damaged, I gently tugged at it, recognizing it as a picture. The faces came into view, and my mouth dropped open, horror coursing through my body.
“What the hell?” I spun around, my eyes widening.
My hand trembled as I held the image up for him to see.
“Babe, what’s wrong?” Holden hurried toward me, and I flipped up my cane and jabbed the end of it into his chest.
“Don’t. Touch. Me.” My voice was laced with steel. I mentally calculated how I could move around him and out of the bedroom. Currently, I was cornered.
Holden stepped back and raised his palms in surrender. “River, I don’t understand what’s happening. Please talk to me.” He backed away farther after realizing I was trapped.
My chest heaved as I held up the picture. “Do you know who this is?”
“Yeah. It’s my dad and Hannah. Dad had a business partner over for dinner. Afterward he wanted a picture of everyone together. Mom is to the left.”
