Page 76 of The Huntress and Her Hound

I hang up and suck in a deep breath. I’m so close to cracking Cher, but I don’t want to have to confront her. I want her to choose to tell me the truth. More than anything, I want us to be real, and once I know it is, I’ll fucking take her brother head on.

“This is the outside patio,” a light, airy voice wafts from around the other side of the house. I pop my jaw and slide my phone back into my jean pocket. Slowly, I make my way around to the backyard, opening the wrought iron gate.

I take in the landscaped yard, complete with a pool and fully loaded deck with an outside kitchen. It’s nice, sure, but it just doesn’t impress me. The realtor eyes me as I join the group, and I take in Cher and Henry. Their similarities seem to appear less and less, and right now, the only thing they share is the same color hair and a leaner build.

“So what do we think?” she asks them, her eyes bouncing between the two.

“Let us talk,” Henry grunts.

“Of course,” she replies. “I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready.”

I stand off to the side, staring into the crystal waters of the elongated oval shaped pool. I could just drown myself. I purse my lips at the intrusive thought, my gaze drifting over to the Bayne siblings—and that’s a mistake.

“How was the security system?” Henry demands.

“Fine,” I kick a small rock into the pool. “Looks like it’ll catch someone sneaking around the house when they shouldn’t be.”

“It does have an alarm system, too,” Henry adds before turning to Cher. “What do you think?”

“It’s really nice.” Her voice is flat, and like she’s done since this morning, she avoids looking at me.

“Okay,” Henry says with a nod. “I’ll put in an offer then.”

“Great,” Cher breathes out. “I need to get to work. I opted to pick up a shift.”

Liar, liar.

“Why?” Henry looks mortally wounded. “I figured we’d grab dinner after this.”

“Yeah, but Sarah really needs me to come in,” she reasons, and this fact has me wondering if there’s a possibility of truth in this statement.

Except her fucking phone is broke.

Henry sighs, but then pauses to answer his ringing phone. I can instantly tell it’s Lydia based on the softness in his voice, and I take the moment to escape to the house. If Cher’s going to be living here, I might as well see the layout for myself. I pull the sliding glass door open, and peer inside, catching sight of the realtor also chatting on the phone in the front room.

My eyes drift across the open, luxurious space, and then the staircase off the main living area. I head right for it, taking them two at a time.

“Looking for a bathroom?” a voice calls from behind me.

I almost smile, and spin around to see Cher on the mid-landing, her black Vans a striking contrast to the white carpet. “Maybe. Is there one up here?”

“Yeah, but only the master bath.” She takes a few steps up, stopping at the just beneath me. “You want me to show you it?”

“Sure.” I let her pass me, her perfume musky and feminine—and inviting as fuck. It takes everything I have not to reach out and grab her. She lies to me, but I have a good feeling I know why.

And I’m not giving up. Not yet.

“It’s through here.” Cher calls, and I pick up to follow her down a hallway. There’s a second living area and then two doors. “One of these is an office,” she clarifies before opening the furthest white door.

I make a note of how silent it becomes as I step inside the room, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s been soundproofed. It’s a large, empty fucking space, and as I take in the warm gray walls, the door clicks shut behind me.

“Playing hide and seek with Henry isn’t a good idea,” I reason as she flips the lock. “And you’re not fucking forgiven.”

“I’m just showing you the bathroom.” She makes it sound so innocent as she keeps her distance, passing me and leading the way. Cher swings the door open and flips on the light.

I step through the threshold, taking in the massive bath with a jacuzzi tub, walk-in stone shower, and double sinks—all attached to a extra-large walk-in closet. “It’s a bathroom. Grayscale, too. Just like all the rest.”

Cher turns to me. “It’s nice though.”

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