Page 51 of Keeping Her Safe

“Zoey acts out, but Zephyr turns inward. I’ve only seen it a few times,” Zachary said as she climbed the ditch to get to the road where they stood. She didn’t see them at all.

“Like yesterday when she just sat there?”

“Yes, kind of like that. But she was happy yesterday.”

While he watched her walk down the road, a car pulled up beside the two men who were now just following the redhead. Zoey had stopped trying to talk to her at some point and got into the SUV.

The window rolled down, and Della poked her head out at him. “What’s happening, Zachary?”

“She protects herself by turning inward. Zephyr shuts the world out.”

“Because of your fight?” Evie asked from the passenger seat.

“No … maybe. I don’t know.” Zachary just watched Zephyr.

“Great insight. I’m going to take her to my house. Please send protection, Gabe. Zachary should maybe just stay away.” Della rolled up her window and drove forward.

Zachary watched in amusement as Zoey got back out of the SUV and shoved her baby sister into the vehicle. For a second, he thought Zephyr would fight her almost-twin, but she went willingly. Because her will was gone. Because of him.

Had he taken that away, or had the sister said something? Or was it both? Was it a combined rejection that had her protecting herself in the only way she knew how?

CHAPTER 20

Looking out the car window, she didn’t have the energy to look around. One minute she was walking down the road, smelling the scents around her, and the next, she was in a vehicle driving down that same road. She was aware that her sisters were all in the vehicle and that they were talking. No, they were fighting about her.

The fog in her mind had cleared, and she could hear them now. Shutting her eyes, she just listened to her mom’s voice fighting with her mom’s voice. It was like her mom was yelling at her three times at once. She liked it when they were happy and not yelling at her.

“Please stop,” she said, still with her eyes closed. Or maybe she didn’t say it, and they just stopped on their own. But she probably said it out loud.

“Are you okay?” Evie asked from the front seat.

“I need to get back to Zachary, so he can take me home.”

“No, you don’t have to put up with Zachary. We can get you home if you want to go home,” Della stated from the driver’s seat.

“But Zachary is all I have,” Zephyr whispered.

“No, you have us. You’re a Hart,” Zoey answered, putting her hand on Zephyr’s.

“I only carry the name. You three are the Harts. The girls,” Zephyr whispered out loud to them. Did they even know?

“I am not a Hart. Charley wasn’t my dad,” Zoey stated.

“Did he tell you that?” Zephyr asked, finally looking at one of her sisters.

“Charley? No, I found out on my own. Is he your dad?” Zoey took Zephyr’s hand in hers.

“Kate always wondered if he would tell you. She always wondered if it would matter one day.” Shutting her eyes, she didn’t answer her sister's question.

“Kate. Is that your mom’s name?” Della asked.

Forcing her eyes open, she saw Evie and Zoey looking at her. Della was driving. Her hand went to the door to open it and roll out of the car. She needed to get away from this situation. They didn’t know, and she never wanted to tell them. The door didn’t open.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“And your dad is Charley Hart. I can’t believe he would pick another redhead. But I guess he had a type,” Della said from the front seat.

“Did he know about you?” Zoey asked.

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