Page 19 of Knot My Boss

“Michael has to keep my secret now,” she says as tears start to track down her cheeks.

“What secret?” I screech, cringing at the shrillness of my voice. Frustration is taking hold of me, and I squeeze my hands into fists to stop myself from grabbing Fiora by the shoulders and shaking the words from her.

“I set the barn on fire,” she says, her eyes drifting closed again. “Michael saved me, pulled me out as the fire department arrived. He hid me, kept me safe, as we got lost in the chaos.”

Opening and closing my mouth, I am stunned silent. What does a person say to that?

“Do you know for sure that you started the fire?” I ask, stating the obvious and speaking in a soft tone so as not to spook my friend. Her head shakes back and forth, still resting against the couch cushion.

“No, that’s where things get a little fuzzy. Panic overwhelmed me, but it didn’t feel like it was mine. Anger was also present, which was definitely mine. It was almost as if I were having an out-of-body experience. You know how people state that they are watching their bodies, either as if they are floating above or from someone else’s eyes?”

“Yeah,” I quip, not entirely sure that I do. My voice gives me away as Fiora rolls her eyes at me, indicating she doesn’t believe me for a minute, but doesn’t bother to call me out on it.

“Anyway, that’s what it was like. I was me but wasn’t. I’m not sure how else to describe it.”

I want to summarize what Fiora just spewed at me, but she seems to have checked out. I turn my attention to the television, not wanting to make her uncomfortable as I sift through her story.

“I’m going to bed,” she announces, rising to her feet. “Good night.”

“Good night,” I volley, moving to get the pillow and blankets I stashed out here earlier. I’m not used to the snow and cold, so while I typically run hot at night, layers are my best bet right now. I make up the couch, and as soon as I am comfortable, or as comfortable as I am going to get, I shut the television off.

That night, sleep became elusive. Dreams plagued by fire had me tossing and turning all night.

Chapter 13 - Darby

It’s Christmas Eve, and the house is a flurry of activity. Having Fiora here has been a blessing, since Dayton has been relegated to her recliner. The weather has become relentless, dumping six inches of snow within the past twelve hours, and it’s still coming down.

I have changed my mind, I no longer like the snow. Don’t get me wrong, there’s something to be said for a white Christmas, but I was content with the small amount we had yesterday. This shit is ridiculous.

The dining room table is decorated with red and white poinsettias accompanied by greens and tall white candles. Offset against the red tablecloth, white dishes, and green plaid napkins, it’s a stunning look. A large turkey has been cooking all day, filling the house with mouth-watering scents. That, with the combination of cinnamon and other spices, my stomach has been rumbling all day.

Kyle’s family is here, and all of the women, save Dayton, are working like a well-oiled machine to get dinner on the table. For once, I am looking forward to being around people. The Morris’have welcomed me in as one of their own, and it makes my heart swell.

“Crap!” Dayton’s exclamation from the living room has everyone freezing in place, all attention on her. Dropping the dish I was holding onto the tabletop, I rush to her side.

My sister stands there with a stunned expression on her face, her arms held out to the side. Looking her over, I see a puddle of water on the floor at her feet.

“It’s just water,” I comment offhandedly. “I’ll get a towel. Sit at the table, and we can get you dinner.”

Octavia Morris is the first to move. “Kyle, call Tavan,” she barks out, like a drill sergeant giving orders. “Kali, you, Cobi, and Fiora start putting this food away and cleaning up. Heywood, you start the car.”

When no one moves, Dayton’s cry of pain sets everyone in motion.

“Today, people!” Octavia yells. “These babies are coming.” She claps her hands several times before moving to Dayton’s right. “Darby, you get on Dayton’s left.”

“Tavan is getting everything ready. He was at the Genie, so be prepared for a crowd,” Kyle informs us, heading our direction with Dayton’s coat.

It doesn’t take us long to get loaded into the SUV and drive into Padston. We pull up in front of a large, Victorian-style house that is all lit up both inside and out. A tall man is standing on the porch watching us as we assist Dayton out of the car and into the doctor’s office.

Foregoing introductions, he focuses on my sister as she cries out in pain from the contractions. While I know nothing about giving birth, I do know that her roaring is becoming more frequent.

As the trio disappears into the back of the building, I fall into a seat in the waiting room area. As Kyle predicted, several otherpeople are indeed already here. Everyone goes around the room, introducing themselves, causing my head to swim with all of the names. A trio of mirror images walks in, and all I can do is blink at them. When I find out they are Arek’s cousins, my heart sinks.

Faint yells of pain can be heard coming from the long hallway that Dayton and Kyle disappeared into, and most of the younger women cringe in sympathy. I understand that women are meant for this, but I still can’t comprehend how something the size of a watermelon comes out of a hole the size of a golf ball.

Kali, Cobi, and Fiora rush into the waiting room a short time later, tripping over themselves at the large group assembled before them. More introductions go around the room, helping me relearn many of the names that I have already forgotten.

The door opens again, and my breath catches in my chest as Arek, Declan, and Daegyn walk in. My eyes roam over his tall frame, giving me a better appreciation for his physique. He’s tall, maybe six feet, two inches, give or take, it’s hard to tell sitting down. His walnut-colored hair is cut short, and the close-cropped beard lines his sharp jawline. His bright green eyes sparkle like emeralds as they bore into me. It takes everything in me to hold back the urge to rub my chest as if his gaze chiseled a hole in it.

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