Page 21 of Wolf

When she shrugs, I stifle a sigh and wrap my arm around her thin shoulders. She’s stiff at first but slowly relaxes while I fight a surge of tears for her pain.

Mercy, as the youngest, doesn't understand everything going on. We’ve protected her as best we can, but the reality is, eventually, she won’t be able to outrun our parents and their dangerous rules.

We’re all damned.

Not today though. Today, we’ll have some fun, dang it.

Grabbing her hand, I waggle my brows. “Race you.”

“Where?” She raises her blue eyes to mine, and I say, “The other side.”

She takes off immediately and I laugh, calling after her, “Cheater.”

“Ha,” she squeals, and I shake my head.

Her bright hair bounces on her shoulders and I give a brief thought to the hat I forgot to grab, ignoring the pit in my stomach at Mama’s punishment if she catches it. But I can't control her and so I set it aside because Mercy’s laughter means more than a welt or two from the belt.

“I won,” Mercy yells, when she nears the sidewalk on the other side of the park, jumping up and down with a grin. Rolling my eyes, I stop beside her and shove her in the shoulder.

“Don't be a sore loser,” she crows.

With an exaggerated gasp, I push her shoulders again and she turns to me with sparkling eyes, the blue hue extra bright today. I open my mouth to tease her when we’re interrupted by voices coming from across the street.

The park on this side is quiet because all the housing ends at the entrance we came through to get here. Beyond are mostly fields with the occasional barn or shack in between.

Stopping at the edge of the trees, I feel a little thrill when I see Wolf and a few other men standing opposite which fades to a chill when I take in the scene.

With his arms crossed and a frown creasing his eyes, Wolf looks like a fierce warrior.

Despite Daddy’s antipathy toward anything he doesn’t approve of, I know some of what he says must be true. The Shadow Saints don’t abide by the law. Per Daddy, they deal in drugs and wouldn’t flinch at murdering anyone who gets in their way.

Are they murderers?

With Mercy by my side, I’m not comfortable with taking the risk but as soon as I start to back away, he looks up and our eyes lock.

He’s walking across the street before I can retreat and glancing at Mercy, I whisper, “Go. I’ll meet you back at the house.”

Her brows furrow and she looks behind her with a grimace but Wolf Castro might be more a danger than anything in these woods and with a gentle push, I say, “Go on.”

Thank god, she goes and exhaling, I turn back to Wolf as he asks, “You, okay?”

Huh? Waving my hands because despite what Daddy says, I feel flustered rather than afraid, I say, “I’m fine.”

“You sure?” he grunts. “Your sister…”

Oh. Miriam.

Bowing my head, I clench my fingers between the folds of my skirt. I’m not responsible for my parents’ behavior but shame rolls through me anyway.

On the wings of that, I realize with no little horror that I’m wearing the skirt and button-down shirt Mama insists on because as Abernathy women, we don’t show our skin.

Not only that, but with my hair pulled back in braids and face bare of makeup, I really do look like the innocent he believes me to be.

“Lilli?” he says, touching my chin.

My skin tingles under the warmth of his fingers and when I look up, he searches my eyes. What is he looking for?

“You have trouble with that fucker?”

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