Page 18 of Jack

I look between them several times. “Twins?”

“Nope.” Jack takes my hand again and gently pulls me into the hall. “Cousins.”

Cousins? I would have guessed they were brothers. Jack leads me to the same door Shepherd and I entered. We start down a path behind the building along a large wooden fence. The party is on the other side. It’s nice to hear people laughing and having fun for a change. I squeeze the hand holding mine once we pass the fence. He pauses and turns to face me.

“Hi. I’m Lily Harman.” Yeah, it’s corny, but we weren’t properly introduced. “Thank you for helping me.”

“Hi, Lily. I’m Jack McLeod.” His eyes seem to find mine through the sunglasses. I know it’s not possible, though. “I will do whatever it takes to protect you forever.”

“Forever?” I whisper.

He nods once, sealing his promise.

Oh wow.

He lightly chuckles again. Uh. I’m not able to control myself around him. I’m going to have to figure out how. I can’t let my mind wander like this.

Chapter 8

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Jack

We walk in silence for a long time. Lily takes in everything around us. She reaches out with her left hand to touch the decorative bushes and trees along the path. If it weren’t for the solar lights and lamp posts, she wouldn’t be able to see much in the dark. My niece and nephew walk these paths at night sometimes. Mom insisted they be well-lit.

Lily doesn’t pull her right hand from mine. Knowing she trusts me stokes my pride. Her trust in me is small and delicate at the moment. For now, I’ll cherish and honor it. I’ll deepen her trust in time.

We pause several times to allow her fingertips to gently roam over leaves and petals. Since it’s fall, there aren’t as many flowers in bloom as in spring and summer. Lily kneels beside a huge planter to smell the yellow flowers. I’m not sure what this plant is, but it’s now my favorite. There are some burgundy andpurplish ones just like it nearby. I can’t wait to see which flowers along the paths are her favorites in the spring.

The women in my family have decorated all the paths between our houses. My mom and grandmother love flowers. My niece has added her little flare to the flower beds. Our homes and these paths aren’t visible from the clubhouse.

My family owns two hundred acres in middle Tennessee. The clubhouse was the first thing built here. It sits on the front side of the property. It’s the only thing visible to the public. Dad locked the clubhouse behind a fence over twenty years ago after an attack from a rival club. A thick grove of trees and a second fence hide our houses. Only family members and our closest friends know where these paths are. Everyone else is stopped at the clubhouse or uses the long driveway. Lily didn’t even notice when we walked through the gate on this path. Dad will close and lock it when he walks home.

The guest house sits a little farther back between my parents’ house and mine. You can see it from our back porches. Dad built this little house here for a reason. He doesn’t tell people why, though.

“It’s beautiful, Jack.” Lily stares at the house in awe. “Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay here?”

I lightly laugh. “Mom said so. Trust me. It’s more than okay.” No one will argue with my mom or my grandmother.

With one hand, I pull out my keys and unlock the door. I hold onto her hand for as long as possible. I push the door open and let her enter first. Yeah, I noticed how she paused when she saw the porch swing. I can already picture her curled up on it with a warm blanket around her and a cup of coffee or hot chocolate in her hands. It’s mesmerizing, and it’s just a vision in my head.

“Oh, wow.” She walks ahead, dropping my hand. I immediately miss her touch.

I follow her into the kitchen and go straight to the fridge. It’s empty. That’s not surprising. No one has stayed here for a long time. Mom and Everly keep this house clean, too.

“Feel free to wander around and tour the place.” I motion toward the hall. She doesn’t need me crowding her.

“Thanks.” Lily disappears into one of the three bedrooms.

Mom’s getting the things Lily will need tonight. What can I offer her now? I spy the coffee maker on the counter. Women love coffee. Let’s hope Mom at least stocked the cabinets. I open the door above the coffee maker and smile. A bag of my favorite coffee is here, along with a box of little half-and-half creamers. I check the expiration before I get my hopes up, as well as Lily’s. They’re still good. The universe is moving in my favor tonight.

The coffee finishes brewing as Lily walks back into the kitchen. She’s still wearing the sunglasses Mom handed her in the office. It’s not fooling anyone. Those glasses are hiding at least one black eye.

Anger fills my chest. How could someone hurt her? A part of me wants to remove those glasses and see it. A bigger part of me wants his name so I can hunt him down and make him pay. A silent whisper in my head stops me.She’s an angel, broken and hurting. She needs something more than my anger. She needs to feel safe, loved, and supported. She’ll get all that and more from me.

“You want a cup?” I hold up a black coffee mug and a soft pink one with flowers.

“Yes, please.” She eases around the table to lean against the counter a few feet away.

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