Page 29 of Like a Hurricane

“She hasn’t murdered your ass yet, then?” Torin answers with a laugh.

“How did you make Maya fall in love with you?”

“What?” His laughter only increases.

“Well, it wasn’t your sunshiny personality, was it,” I grumble, “You’re grumpier than a hungry bear.”

“I didn’tmakeMaya do anything.”

“Okay but what did you do?”

“Nothing, Everett, it just happened.”

I grunt but don’t say anything in return.

“I assume your first day isn’t going as well as you hoped.” I could hear the amusement in his voice, and I knew he was just eating this up. “Surely you didn’t expect her to thank you for kidnapping her.”

“I didn’t kidnap her.”

“What do you call it?”

“Relocating her until I can figure out how to keep her safe.”

“That’s kidnap.”

“Yes well, it was either this or letting her die. What would you have me do?”

He sighs, “I don’t know Rett, but you can’t just expect the girl to forgive what you did.”

When I don’t say anything else he continues.

“Why don’t you actuallytrywith her. Like I don’t know, do something she likes. You’ve taken her from her life, Everett, you need to give a little. And if there’s anything I’ve learned, brother, is that lying will cost you. Tell her the truth.”

I didn’t know how I was going to do that when she has locked herself away and was trying to maim me every chance she got. I agree and then hang up, stepping back into the warmth of the cabin.

She doesn’t come out of the room at all. I stoke the fire, make her coffee, and bring her water but she only opens the door once she knows I’m gone.

Now the sun has set, and silence has fallen on the cabin, darkening the woods around us.

The door to the bedroom squeaks open, “Everett?”

“In here,” I call out.

Her bare feet pad through to where I’m sat at the kitchen table, the laptop open in front of me which I close at her arrival.

“Can you tell me?”

I scan her face, noting the puffy, red rimmed eyes and pink cheeks. She’s been crying. Silently. Alone.

“Tell you what?”

“Why they did it?”

I think back to my brothers’ words only a few hours ago. I could lie, tell her I don’t know and keep whatever image she has of her father clean but if I had any hope of her understanding…

“I can.”

“Are you going to lie?” She narrows her eyes at me.

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