Page 29 of Three to Fall

My heart overspilled with gratefulness that so many people loved my daughter enough to make sure she was safe.

She would be happy here. Loved by these people, even if they weren’t her blood. Tears dripped down my face every time I thought about it.

I let myself bask in my last few days in Saint View, knowing the bubble needed to burst. Sucking up every ounce of determination inside me, I snuck down to Kyle’s cabin and knocked on his door.

He opened it, blinking in surprise when he saw it was me. “Kara. Hi. Um, what are you doing down here? Does Hawk know?” He stuck his head out the door and glanced both ways, like Hawk might jump out of the trees and shout boo at any moment.

I squinted at him. “He doesn’t bite, you know.”

Kyle didn’t seem convinced of that. “I promised to lie low down here, so that’s what I’m doing.”

I sighed, realizing what I was about to ask wasn’t going to work. I’d planned for him to take me to the bus station tomorrow morning after Hawk took Hayley Jade to school. The Slayers’ compound was in the middle of nowhere; the access road that led to the main intersection where the buses ran would take me hours to walk. I needed a lift, and Kyle and his truck were my only options. “Could you take me for a driving lesson tomorrow?”

Kyle hesitated. “I thought Chaos was teaching you?”

“He is, but I want to get all the practice I can, and he’s busy with the restaurant. Plus, I thought you might like somecompany. You’ve been down here by yourself pretty much twenty-four seven since you arrived.”

“I don’t mind,” he said politely. “I’m just grateful to not be living out of my truck.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know if I ever actually said thank you for bringing me here. People have been nicer to me than I probably deserve.”

I sighed, knowing he hadn’t even seen the tip of the iceberg when it came to how good these people’s hearts were. They were keeping their distance from him, as instructed by Hawk who clearly had trust issues. But I knew from watching him with Hayden that people had to earn his trust and respect. I couldn’t begrudge him for just trying to keep his family safe. “You deserve their kindness, Kyle. They’ll see that. And when they do, they’ll welcome you in. If you want it.”

He ducked his head, not meeting my eyes. “I do. I have no one else.”

I knew how that felt. And knowing Kyle was taken care of felt like another thing I’d crossed off my mental to-do list. The one I needed to complete before I could get on that bus and go back to Ethereal Eden tomorrow.

Guilt swamped me at tricking Kyle into taking me to the bus station, but I didn’t have much other choice. “So that driving lesson tomorrow. Please?”

He nodded. “Of course.”

I breathed out a sigh that wasn’t really one filled with relief. It should have been. My plans were coming together, and I needed to go back. Find proof that Josiah had killed Alice. But I knew the cost. Knew that after months of living here, I was walking myself back to a man who would hurt me. Rape me. Starve me. Abuse me in every way he knew how.

Fear trickled down my spine, but I straightened it, knowing I was no longer wife number one. I wouldn’t be able to stop himphysically abusing me, but he couldn’t touch my mind. Not when in my head I’d be here in this compound, with the people I loved.

I thanked Kyle, told him I’d see him in the morning, and mentally planned how I’d need to pack, and then somehow get my backpack into his truck without him noticing. I had no idea how I’d get him to leave me at the bus station. It might have to be something I figured out in the moment.

I was so in my head I practically ran smack into Bliss coming out of the clubhouse. I grabbed her arm, steadying her so she didn’t topple over with baby Ridge in her arms. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t even see you there.”

Bliss smiled brightly. “I’m surprised you didn’t hear us. He’s been making quite the racket. I’m just taking him out for some fresh air and crossing my fingers a change of scenery helps his colic.”

I remembered all too well what having a colicky baby was like. “I’ll leave you to it then. The stars are pretty tonight. Hopefully they lull him to sleep.”

I went to continue on inside, but Bliss tapped my shoulder. “Actually, Kara, wait, I was wanting to talk to you about something.” She shifted the baby to her other arm. “I was wondering if you’d planned anything for Hawk’s birthday?”

I blinked. “His birthday? When is it?”

“Next week. War’s is tomorrow, and Hawk’s is not long after. They’re only about ten days apart.”

“Oh. I didn’t know. Gosh, that’s really terrible of me.” It dawned on me I had no idea when Hayden’s or Grayson’s birthdays were either. I really only had the faintest recollection of birthday celebrations back when I was a kid, before Josiah had come into our lives and convinced everyone that birthdays were vain and drawing attention to oneself in that way for simply existing was a sin. But I remembered a day when I was about Hayley Jade’s age, where friends from my kindergarten hadcome to my house, and there’d been balloons and games and gifts. It was a fuzzy image, more an emotion than a true, clear picture. But it was one of the few nice memories I had, and so I’d held on to it all these years.

I hoped Hawk and Grayson and Hayden would throw her parties when I was gone.

Bliss smiled at me sympathetically. “No one expected you to know. So I actually thought that maybe we could throw them a joint party? This weekend. Something big. I think we should go all out.”

My stomach sank, knowing I wouldn’t be here for it. But I couldn’t admit that to Bliss. So I nodded. “That sounds great. What did you have in mind?”

Bliss’s smile widened. “Something a bit nice, maybe? A chance for everyone to get out of their jeans and jackets. Selfishly, I want to wear something other than a nursing bra and a puke-stained T-shirt, though the little vomit king here will probably ruin anything I wear. Won’t you, Ridge?”

The baby gurgled at her in agreement.

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