Page 58 of Westin

Something bad is happening.

My entire body feels it, like cold water trickling down my spine. Footsteps sound on the porch, and Thomas Garrison steps in, kicking the screen shut behind me. This time, he doesn’t look anywhere but right at me, like he owns me already.

My breath comes faster. My palms are wet.

His eyes are darker gray than his brothers, and his short hair is fairer. He’s got one arm covered in tattoos, and he’s well built, heavy with muscle. By rights, I should be attracted to him, but everything about the Garrison brothers just feels…off.

He takes the cigarette from his lip. I want to tell him not to smoke in my kitchen, but I’m too scared.

“You want to tell her?” Avery says, glancing at David.

David is the only man in this room who won’t meet my eyes. He’s standing at the sink, staring at his reflection in the dark window. He’s still in his work clothes. His shirt is old, and there’s a patch on each elbow, hand-sewed by myself.

I did that ages ago, when he was about sixteen, when he was occasionally still kind to me.

“David,” I whisper. “What’s happening?”

My brother’s jaw works. He’s only twenty-six, but he looks older. His shoulders slope from carrying too much for too long. Tonight, there’s nothing behind his eyes. The last bit of my brother is gone.

My chest aches. My lashes are wet.

“David,” I whisper again.

He turns, sending me a poisonous glare. “You’re going with Thomas. You’ll be his wife,” he snaps. “Surely, you’re not selfish enough to let them pave over our land? It’s time you pulled your weight.”

My fists clench.

“No,” I breathe. “I’m not doing that.”

Thomas snorts. His neck has a drunken flush that scares me. Avery leans on the sink and takes another shot before putting the whiskey up in the cupboard. He runs a hand over his mouth, his eyes lock into mine.

The corner of his mouth jerks up.

I know right then I don’t need to be half as scared of Thomas as I should be of Avery.

“It’s already done,” Avery says.

“No, I don’t… I’m not doing that,” I gasp.

David pushes off the sink and grabs me roughly by the upper arm. I’m too shocked to do anything but cry out as he drags me into the living room, far from the kitchen.

He lets me go, the way he did on the back porch. But this time, I manage to catch myself.

When I turn, his eyes are burning.

“The Garrisons agreed to stop the access road,” he snaps. “But Thomas wanted you, so you’re going to fucking go with him. If I have to walk you into that courthouse with a gun to the back of your fucking head, I will. This is my land.”

I want to spit in his face.

Instead, I start sobbing so hard, I can barely breathe. David has pushed me, slammed my head in a wall, called me a bitch and a whore. He has shamed me and bullied me any chance he got.

But I never thought he’d do this.

“How could you?” I gasp. “You gave them me for the farm, David.”

“You’ll be fine. Thomas Garrison is well off.”

“Nana would kill you if she was alive,” I snap, my chest heaving.

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