Page 176 of Savage Hearts

“For what? Don’t tell me you’re willing to let her go.”

I didn’t answer him right away, but my face told him my answer.

He nodded. “Of course not. What the hell are we going to do?”

Something I hadn’t wanted to do. Something I wasn’t sure she would forgive us for.

“We track her,” I said. Silas’ eyes told me he liked the idea as much as I did, which was not at all.

“Track her?” he asked slowly.

I grunted.

“She’ll hate us,” he said softly. “More than she already does.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “Do you have a better idea?”

He looked away from me. The only other option was keeping her locked up, restricting more of her freedom than we already had, and still, shit happened all the time. There was no saying she wouldn’t successfully escape us in the future.

“I’ll do it,” Killian said gruffly.

Both Silas and I turned to him. His face was expressionless, but I could make out the tightness in his eyes.

“She already hates me. What’s another mark against me in her book going to do?”

I frowned. I was sure Mila felt a lot of things when it came to Killian, but for the first time, I wasn’t sure hate was one of them.

“Let me do it,” he said. “I can ensure I won’t hurt her any more than necessary during the procedure. And this way, we can be sure she won’t leave.”

The last part was said quietly. Silas seemed to want to say something about it, but I halted him with a look.

I turned to Killian. “Are you sure?”

He nodded.

Then, without a word, he walked away. Silas and I stared after him.

“It seems he doesn’t want her to leave as much as us,” Silas commented.

I didn’t say anything, though I agreed. Despite his history with Lilliana, it appeared Killian couldn’t do anything about Mila burrowing under his skin and staying there.

I just didn’t know if this was something she’d forgive him for.

27

MILA

After a frustrating afternoonspent trying to find a weakness in the Tiernan’s’ property and failing, I went back inside where Rachel had lunch prepared for me.

She shot me a gentle smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. For some reason, I wondered if she pitied me, but that couldn’t be the case. If she truly pitied me and pitied my situation, she would have helped me, not remained loyal to the brothers.

I quickly scarfed down the turkey sandwich, politely thanked her, and walked back to my room.

I might have the freedom to walk around the house, but I didn’t feel comfortable doing it for long.

I always returned to my room.

I needed to be careful.

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