Page 97 of Wife Number One

But they were so beautiful it was hard not to want them.

I convinced myself it was okay to take them because eventually Hayley Jade would move down here with me, and she could be the one to enjoy the high-thread-count sheets and the candle that made the cabin smell like freshly baked cookies.

I wanted her here so badly I could barely breathe.

But she was still sleeping on a cot in Queenie and Aloha’s room. She couldn’t do that forever though. At some point, she was going to have to come back here, and when she did, I wanted to be ready.

I was also avoiding Hawk.

Or more accurately, avoiding his bedroom and the things he’d promised would happen if I went in there.

I had to close my eyes and clench my thighs together every time I thought about what he’d done to me on that bed. It sent goosebumps spreading across my skin every time I entered the bedroom.

But if I was being honest, I liked it.

I liked remembering the way he’d smelled. The way his body had felt, pressed on mine. The way his tongue had…

I swallowed thickly as Rebel snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Kara. Did you hear what I said?”

I blinked, focusing on my sister. She’d come over earlier, only Remi with her, the other kids at home with one of the guys. I shook my head. “Sorry, no. I got distracted.”

Rebel twisted on the front porch swing, hooking one leg up onto the seat so she could face me. “I asked how Hayley Jade was doing? Any changes?”

I stared out at my daughter following her younger cousin around, Remi leading in a game she’d made up that seemed to involve searching for fairies in the shrubs. The only reason Hayley Jade had come down to the cabin was because Rebel and Remi were here. Rebel had herded both girls down to me after she realized Hayley Jade was up at the clubhouse and I was down here alone.

I lifted a shoulder to answer my sister’s question. “No, not really. Queenie says she’s eating normally, but she still won’t talk.” I swallowed hard, remembering the last day I’d heard her voice.

I so desperately wanted to hear it again.

Rebel squeezed my leg. “There’s a clinic at the hospital. It’s free. I thought maybe we should take Hayley Jade? Just get her checked out, you know?” She grimaced at me. “Please just ignore me if I’m overstepping. But it’s been on my mind. As is getting her into school. She should really be going.”

My eyes went wide. “She can’t. They’d find her and take her and I’d never see her again.”

Rebel reluctantly nodded. “Homeschool then. You could teach her.”

My heart sank. “She won’t even sit in the same room as me. How am I going to teach her anything when she’s terrified of me?”

Rebel sighed and watched the two girls playing. “You’re right. She’s only five. Making sure she’s okay mentally and physically is more important than anything else right now.”

I put a finger to my mouth and chewed on the nail. “I do think she needs to see a doctor.”

Rebel nodded. “The clinic doesn’t require ID or insurance. I checked. There’ll be no record of either of you there. It’ll be safe. But you still can’t go alone. Fang or one of the other guys will take you and stay with you until it’s time to bring you back.”

I didn’t know how to tell her that wasn’t even my biggest worry. But that actually getting Hayley Jade there was.

I didn’t think I could take another round of her screaming and crying and fighting to get away from me.

She’d go with Queenie, but I really wanted to be the one who took her. And Queenie couldn’t protect her.

Hawk could. She’d trusted Hawk enough to let him take her into town once. She was still carrying around the stuffie he’d bought her while they were out, and I hadn’t missed the way she took notice of everything he said.

Which was probably not great because the man swore like a drunken sailor.

But at least she wasn’t scared of him.

That was all that mattered in getting her to a doctor.

I cleared my throat. “It’s okay. I know Fang is busy. I’ll ask Hawk to take us.”

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