Page 38 of Broken Promises
I nodded. “I was going through some of her stuff, trying to keep busy. There was a shoebox with letters, and I found the one from my mother. I kept digging and found all these envelopesfilled with cash. Lucian met me yesterday morning and I gave him the letter and the money so he could investigate where it came from.”
“Did the envelopes say where they came from?” he asked as he kissed the back of my hand and smiled at me.
“The postmarks were barely visible, and there weren’t any return addresses. I . . . I don’t know why she kept them or didn’t use the money to help with bills.”
“Granny’s letter from the lawyer said she found out about Sergey a few years after you went to live with her?” he inquired, and I nodded. “What if she didn’t want to spend it for fear it would give him some kind of control over her, and by proxy, you?”
“I didn’t think of that. When I found it, I got confused, then scared, so . . . I tried to call you. That’s when I started to spiral and, well, here we are,” I admitted, and he pulled me into his arms and hugged me deeply.
“There’s nothing I can say to fix what I’ve done wrong over the last few days, but I promise you’ll never have to worry about where I am again.”
“I don’t understand. You said you couldn’t be traced when you’re . . . hunting.”
“Do you remember Devlin telling you about Hailey’s old man, Jacob, or Hatchet, as they call him?” I nodded, and he smiled at me. “Jacob is super talented, and like your brothers, me, and the Death Hounds, we want to make sure the people we love are protected. Jacob has created a line of jewelry and clothing that allows the wearer to hide weapons for safety. And with James’s help, he’s added a locator to each piece. I’d like to order us each a bracelet, so when I’m gone or we’re not together, we’ll always know where each other is.”
I paused for a minute, thinking about the implications of his suggestion. I had nothing to hide from him since I’d alreadyshared my greatest shame, so I had no objection to him being able to track me. I liked the idea of knowing where he was and felt protected that he wanted to know where I was too. It sounded stalkerish, but it made me feel loved.
“I like that idea,” I remarked, and his smile grew. “And I’m sorry for James not telling you where I was. I had no idea he would make it seem like I was running from you.”
“The reason he said that makes sense, even if he won’t admit it, and before you ask, it’s not important. Being here with you, talking about what’s been bothering you so we can have a happier future, is what’s important. I don’t want you to ever question how I feel about you.”
It was hard not to when we’d only been together for five days, but for the last six months, it was Rhys who’d kept an eye on me, checking in and making sure everything was okay. It was Rhys who’d watched me, ensuring I wasn’t a target. And it was Rhys who’d explained that the shame I was feeling was natural and nothing to carry guilt over.
I knew he would be patient with me, but at that moment, I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anyone, ever. But it wasn’t the time yet. When it was, I knew the moment would be life-altering, so for now, I hoped he was okay with waiting a little longer.
A noise came from the open doorway and a perky Regan stuck her head into the room. “Dinner’s almost ready.”
“Thanks, Re,” Rhys said, and she smiled before walking away.
“I really like her,” I admitted. Rhys leaned over and kissed me until my toes curled.
“Good, because she likes you too, and I’m afraid if I upset you again, I’ll have to deal with her wrath. And I’d rather fight the madman and the lunatic before I’d piss off Regan.”
He stood and held out his hand to help me. When I was standing in front of him, he pulled me into his muscular chest and kissed my forehead. I looked up at him and asked, “Who’s the madman and the lunatic, and why would they want to fight?”
Rhys burst out laughing so hard, he had to step back and bend over to catch his breath. I waited for him to explain what was so funny when a baffled Regan slowly walked back into the room, her face filled with confusion and worry as she saw Rhys laughing. She walked up next to me as Rhys wiped his eyes, his laughter slowing to a chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” she asked me in a low tone.
“I asked who the madman and lunatic were, and he started laughing,” I explained, and she smiled and turned to me.
“Devlin is the madman and Lucian is the lunatic, but I don’t know why that’s so funny,” Regan answered.
She glanced over her shoulder and shook her head with a smile aimed at Rhys before disappearing back down the hall. When he gained his composure, he draped his arm over my shoulder, and we turned to walk out of the room.
“Sorry. I forgot you don’t know them by their reputations,” Rhys said, and I stopped walking and looked at him.
“My brothers are known for being a madman and a lunatic?” I questioned, and added, “Should I be worried?”
“Never of them,” Rhys replied as we walked toward the kitchen. “And never of me.”
“Is there someone I do need to worry about?” I asked, and he shook his head without responding.
After kissing me on the cheek, he walked to the stove and peeked into the pots before saying something to Regan. She nodded and smiled before handing him a pair of oven mitts. I watched them interact and work as a team, and I wondered.
Where do I fit in around here?
Was Rhys being honest about my brothers and their tempers?
