Page 64 of Little Bird
Calling.
Shit.
I put the call through to voicemail, not wanting to hear anything she says, but then can’t leave it alone once she leaves a message. I’ve always been incapable of letting bad news sit. It just eats at me until I deal with it, and that ends up stretching the misery out.
Better to deal with it immediately, if I can. Besides, I’m pretty sure I already know what she’s going to say.
I hit the button to play the message and hold it up to my ear.
“Taryn,” she snaps. “I know where you are. I know what you’re doing. And it’s not going to work. Your place is here in the city with Johnny and me, and you know it. We’re a family now. You owe us your allegiance.”
Allegiance. Ha. That’s not what she’s after.
“I’m not going to let you stay up there, little girl,” the message continues. “I’m sure you think you’re safe with Gunner, but you have another thing coming. I’m on my way. And unless you come willingly, it’s not going to be pretty. He doesn’t have any right to keep you, and if he tries, there are going to be consequences. Do you want him to pay the price for your bad behavior? Maybe you need to think about someone else, for once.”
The message ends, and I stare at my phone like it’s just tried to kill me.
I know what she wants, and I know why. I also know I’m not willing to give in to her. But I never thought that coming here to escape her would put Gunner and Gabe in danger.
Maybe she’s bluffing. Maybe she’s just trying to use that threat to get me to capitulate. I can only hope so. Because if it’s more than that... If her threat against Gunner is real...
If anything happens to him because of me, I’ll never forgive myself.
“Taryn,” Gabe asks suddenly, reaching for me. “You look like someone just walked over your grave. Are you okay? Who was that?”
I glance up at him, already knowing that I can’t tell him. I don’t want to talk about it, and I don’t need his help. I’m not going to burden him with my problems, because that will just make everything worse.
Christ, at this point I don’t even know if I can stay. I’m sure as hell not going to ask for his help when I might have to abandon him again.
I looked through the kitchen out the window, and realize I can see more green than I did earlier. The snow is melting, just like Gunner said it would. And that means the vehicles might be an option.
“The snow is melting,” I say, instead of answering. “Can we go into town? Start replacing some of this food?”
He gives me a long, considering look, like he knows full well that I’m avoiding the thing I don’t want to talk about, but then brushes his fingertips over my cheek and nods. “I’ll do anything if it makes you smile again,” he whispers. “Let’s go.”
Taryn
Now that I’ve remembered what Hawke’s Wood is like, I come back into town knowing exactly where I want to go. We save the market for last, so the food doesn’t spoil while we’re doing other things, and start with the small bookstore.
“You need books?” Gabe asks, frustrated. “Why?”
I tug him to the very small romance section and look approvingly at the selection. I was expecting this place to have all closed-door, very tame romance, but whoever buys for the shelves seems to like the darker stuff. I see several of the books I know and love, and several that have been on my TBR list for years. Kidnapping, check. Stalking, check. My favorite mafia series, check. Peter Pan retelling, check. I pick up ten books, then pause, considering, and grab one more.
After all, there’s no telling when we might get snowed in again.
I also make a mental note to find the owner of this store and make friends with her. I want to know the mind that decides the women of Hawke’s Wood need access to this level of reading material.
“I need books because there’s nothing to do at your house,” I say quickly.
Gabe sputters. “I live there!”
I turn to him, positive that my expression is saying exactly what I’m thinking. “And yet I can’t do you all day. I need other entertainment.”
He sputters even harder at that, and I head for the counter, sliding Gabe’s wallet out of his pocket as I go. He and Gunner might have a library but it’s full of dusty old classics, and as far as I’m concerned, they can foot the bill for me bringing something more interesting into the house.
Next we go to buy more film—I’ve figured out that there’s actually a camera shop in town, and they have better deals on film. They also have some really nice cameras, and I spend too much time drooling over them, wondering whether I can afford to get something new.
I mean, of course I can. Or at least... Well, I’ll be able to afford whatever I want in two weeks.
