Page 82 of Prohibited

“I’m Evie,” she said, advancing very slowly toward Lindsay and his sister.

“Evelyn?” The girl sat up like a bolt and stared at her with such an intense look that Evie couldn’t help but take a step backward.

“Yes,” she said, a little uncertain of this reaction.

“He kept asking about you,” Saoirse said. She got on her knees and gripped the iron railing until her knuckles turned white. “‘Where is Evelyn? Where is Evelyn?’”

The words coming out of Saoirse’s mouth made her blood run cold. “Who kept asking?”

“Have you been hiding this woman?” Saoirse said, whipping around to look at her brother, eyes snapping.

“Sweetheart,” Lindsay said, leaning forward to take his sister’s elbow. “Who kept asking?”

“Walter. Stanley.” Saoirse spit the name like a curse.

“No,” Evie said, heart stopping. She moved forward. “Oh no. He didn’t– Did he hurt you?”

Saoirse laughed bitterly, madly. “Did he hurt me? Did he hurt me?”

Evie gripped her own elbows to keep her hands from going to her face. She needed to remain calm. Composed.

“Why the fuck are you hiding this woman?” Saoirse said, ripping her arm out of her brother’s grasp. “Why did this insane man kill Sal and then take me prisoner, because he was looking for her?”

“It’s complicated–” Lindsay started to say.

“Does this have to do with Tommy?” Saoirse nearly screamed.

The room fell totally silent.

“Does it?” she persisted, voice low.

“Yes,” Lindsay said quietly.

“I told them,” she said, almost more to herself than to anyone else. Voice pulsing with rage. “I told them not to do it. I told them to let it go. But this, this all happened because of your stupid fucking need for vengeance.”

“Saoirse, please, what the fuck did happen?” Lindsay captured her hand again, refusing to be put off by her rage.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Evie and Lindsay exchanged a look. The anguish on his face and the blank, listless stare on his sister’s was almost more than Evie could bear.

“I’m so sorry,” Evie said, voice trembling. “I’m so sorry.” She pressed her hands over her own heart, eyes filling with tears.

“He kept asking me, ‘Where’s Evelyn?’ I told him I didn’t know, I didn’t know any Evelyn. But here you were, all along.” It wasn’t an accusation. But it still made her cringe with guilt.

This had happened because of her. Another person hurt because of her.

Evie swallowed hard. “I’m so sorry,” she said again, voice shaking. “I didn’t know.”

Saoirse didn’t respond, just settled back onto her heels. Exhaustion settled over her. A dazed look on her face.

“Please excuse me,” Evie said quietly. “I’ll be back. Lindsay, there’s laudanum in the drawer if…”

They shared a look and he nodded. Suffering was etched around his eyes and his mouth as he rubbed his sister’s back.

Evie quietly let herself out of the room and into the hall. She turned slowly and found herself face to face with the group of men who were exactly where she left them, talking quietly amongst themselves. They all straightened and looked at her expectantly.

She swallowed, wondering how much she should say. Hugging herself around the middle, she walked toward them slowly, allowing her eyes to settle on Ryan.

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