Page 16 of Chains and Vows

I back off immediately, because I know better than to push when a door is finally cracking open. "We'll do it her way then. Whatever she wants. Church, or field, or courthouse at noon. I don't care. A bonfire with paper lanterns and barefoot dancing if that's what she needs—I will make it happen, I will make it beautiful, I will make it hers."

I stop, and I feel the next words come up from somewhere lower than my throat, somewhere that's been bruised and tender for longer than I like to admit. "Just come home. Will you come home? I need you here, Colt. I honestly, truly need you here."

There's a long pause on the line, and I hold my breath through it. The silence stretches long enough that I press the phone harder against my ear, as if proximity might fill it with something useful.

"I'll talk with Destiny tonight," he finally says, and the words land soft, careful—a man handling something fragile and knowing it. "She likes it here, Savannah. She thinks these people are..." He pauses again, searching, and I can almost hear him looking for a word that won't wound me. "Real."

"Oh." The word falls out before I can catch it, small and sad and honest in a way I wasn't prepared for.

"Yeah," Colt agrees, and his voice has gone gentle in a way that's almost harder to hear than if he'd been sharp about it.

"It's all very new to her. We can't stay here. I know that. The ranch is..." He trails off, and I can hear him searchin' for the rest of it, and I already know how to finish that sentence because I've been finishin' sentences about the ranch my whole life.

"The ranch is safe, Colt," I tell him, and I keep my voice soft because I mean it. "That's why we live here. That's always been why."

"Yeah," he says. "You're right. I'll talk to her, I promise."

"Thank you," I whisper, and I don't say the rest—that I'm scared they won't come, that Destiny will decide real is better than safe and choose to stay among strangers who will use her up and spit her out.

I don't say any of that.

"I'll call you soon."

"I miss you," I say hurriedly.

"Miss you too, sis."

After we hang up I stay very still, standin' in the quiet with my phone in my hand and the word sis resoundin' in my chest like the last note of something I almost lost.

Maybe they'll come home.

Maybe… this plan of mine will actually work.

I find Cash at the dining room table, coffee cup raised to his lips, starin' at nothin' the way he does when he's got somethin' bigger than breakfast on his mind.

My place is all set—waffles stacked three high with butter melting down the sides, eggs scrambled the way I've liked 'em since I was six, and juice in a crystal glass.

"Mornin'," I say, and settle into my chair, the smile on my face faltering at the corners when I catch his expression.

Cash sets his cup down, deliberate as always. "When's the last time you talked to Marcus?"

My stomach twists. Just the name makes my eggs look less appealing. "About twenty minutes ago, actually," I say, reluctant to admit it but not seein' much point in lyin'. "I got a call from an unknown number that I thought was Colt. Called the number back and..." I trail off, not wantin' to repeat what Marcus said. Not wantin' those words to exist in this room.

"And?" Cash pushes.

I stab at my eggs with more force than necessary. "And it wasn't Colt," I say, my voice tight. "Marcus had some things to say. None of them particularly original."

Cash's eyes narrow, readin' between the lines like he always does.

"He scares me," I admit, the words coming out smaller than I intended. "Not in an immediate way, but... there's somethin' really off about him. I mean, that kidnapping⁠—"

Cash puts up a hand. "I had no idea he was gonna do that. And…" He falters for a moment. "And I should've. I should've known. Because… you're right. There's something really wrong with him. I'm fuckin' sorry I let it happen. I'm fuckin' sorry I didn't protect you. And I'm glad Legion did. I told him that this morning."

"You did?"

Cash nods. "He rode with me. Out to fix a well pump. We had a nice long talk."

Hmm. So that's why Legion was still here when I woke up. "Well… good. I'm glad."