Page 75 of Alive and Wells

Through sharp breaths and around the hard rock in my throat, I manage to squeak out a single sentence. “Take Odessa and go inside.”

She places a hand on my shoulder. “Are you—”

“Go thefuckinside, Kate. Now.” I try not to scream. The last thing I want to do is draw attention to us back here. With any luck, the twilight kept us hidden from sight well enough.

My skin must be blanched with fear because Kate’s eyes grow wide and cut over to where the car was seconds ago. Then back to me.

“Cecily.” Kate’s voice is barely audible over the blood pooling in my ears. She’s a human-shaped blob through the lilac haze clouding my vision. I blink rapidly, trying to clear the blanket over my eyes and determine what I need to do next.

I have zero fucking clue.

Austin.I need Austin here.I may have handled KJ a million times on my own in the past, but I don’t want to. Not anymore. Not when Austin promised me I wouldn’t have to.

“Odessa Wells, get inside!” Kate whisper-yells. Jumping to her feet, she grabs her daughter by the upper arm. “Go up to mommy’s room and stay there until I come get you, okay?”

“Can I do a make-over?” Odessa pushes the damp hair from her eyes.

“Sure, baby. Makeup, hair, clothes, even mommy’s high heels. Stay up there until I come get you. Donotcome downstairs.”

Odessa’s eyes nearly pop out of her head and she sprints inside. Her small feet thud their way loudly up the stairs and a faint slam of Kate’s bedroom door signifies she’s safe and happy. At least there’s a small glimmer of hope that she’s not in harm’s way, even if I am.

“Kate, you should go inside, too. Go be with Odessa.” I work to capture a single breath, pressing myself back to my feet despite the trembling in my legs. “I need to deal with this myself.”

“No, we’ll both stay put until the boys get back. Should be soon.”

How soon will be soon enough, though?

Kate pulls her cell phone from her back pocket and types in a number. “And if they don’t get here quick enough, the boys’ cop cousin, Nick, should be able to get here in about half an hour.”

Austin almost certainly doesn’t have cell service—as soon as you get too far from the main buildings, you lose it—but that doesn’t stop me from dialling his number over and over.

He’s going to figure out I’m here the moment he sees my car. I should’ve taken Austin up on his multiple offers to get a truck instead of being stubborn. Then I could’ve hidden in a closet somewhere until he left. I might’ve stood a chance of him never coming back here if simply hiding was an option.

“The longer it takes him to find me, the more worked up he’s going to get.”The more dangerous he’s going to get.

“Nothing the guys can’t handle. It’s not worth you going out there.”

“Stay here.”

Whether driven by naivety or insane courage, I will myself to move in his direction. My feet feel like they’re encased in cement, but I manage to work up the strength to shuffle like a zombie through the house. From the back porch, down the dark hallway. The metal handle on the front door burns my palm and a hand on my shoulder makes my heart stop.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to yell after you in case he’s right outside,” Kate whispers. Her words are tattered. She’s scared. “Nick will be here as soon as he can. If you’re going out there, I’m coming with you. If anything, he’ll know you’re not here alone. Maybe buy you time until the boys are back.”

I shake my head but she grabs either side of my face, forcing my eyes to fall upon hers.

“Cecily, quit being stubborn. You’re basically my sister now and I’m not letting you go out there alone. So either you stay inside and wait for the guys, or we go out there together. Either way, I’m right with you.”

The silence as I deliberate my options is broken when KJ screams my name. Loud enough to nearly shatter glass.

Fuck.

After a long, painful breath, I reach for the handle again and step outside.

He silently scrutinizes me with furrowed eyebrows. I look down at my worn t-shirt and dirt-stained jeans. The soil under my fingernails from gardening. The tanned, freckled skin on my arms, my hair in two messy French braids. And this is the first time he’s seeing me without makeup. All of which are things Austin has never made me feel ugly for. In fact, his gaze makes me feel beautiful, sexy, wanted. Despite that, thinking about how KJ sees me right now causes sudden self-consciousness. I look nothing like I did when I left him—obviously I know that, deep down, but it hasn’t been something I’ve put much thought into.

“Wow. When some guy in town told me you’d be here, I honestly thought he was fucking with me.” His harsh laugh cuts through my flesh. At least he doesn’t seem to have a gun. It very well could be hidden—honestly, it probably is—but it’s not currently in his hand. That buys me time. “Look at you, looking like a damn country bumpkin.”

“What do you want, Kyson?” His stupid name feels like a razor blade cutting its way up my trachea.

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