Page 86 of Liar Byrd
I ignore the sharp spikes of pain in my ankle as I run.
In my room, I grab the bag Nance let me borrow to carry my clothes from the den. I double-check to make sure the white envelope is still at the bottom of the bag. It is. Good. Time to go.
Most of the clothes in the bag aren’t mine, just the sweats that Makhi let me borrow when I was resting my sprained ankle. I could change out of my maid’s uniform, but I don’t have time.
Tap. Tap.
I jump at the gentle tap on my window, spinning to face it with my heart pounding in my chest.
Rain. That’s all it is. It isn’t one of Jeremiah’s acolytes at my window here to grab me.
I slip the tote bag over my shoulder and rush to my door. Flinging it open, I let out a scream as I bounce off a hard chest, stumbling backward.
“Hey!” Vonn grasps my arms, steadying me. “What’s wrong?”
He’s frowning down at me, clearly worried, and I need to tell him that Jeremiah is here and it’s not safe. Nash is outside. I have so much to say. Too much.
But I can’t speak.
“I thought… I thought…” My teeth chatter, and I shake.
Vonn sweeps his arms around me, and lifting me, carries me into my room. I drop my bag and cling to him instead.
He settles on the edge of my bed, cradling me against his chest. I press my face against his throat, trying to breathe through my panic as he holds me. I feel like a child. A stupid little girl who needs to hide from the world instead of fighting the things that hurt me.
“You’re okay, darlin’.” Vonn’s fingers are tunneling through my hair. His soft words are calming my fear. His left hand runs up and down my back, pulling me closer to him. “Just keep breathing now. I have you.”
I don’t know how long I stay in his arms, my face pressed against his throat, inhaling the strong masculine scent that makes me feel safe. It’s not nearly long enough.
He pulls away when my breathing is no longer the frantic deer being chased by a predator it was before. His eyes sweep over my face. He takes his time, as if wanting to be sure he doesn’t miss a thing. And he doesn’t, because he says, “You want him dead?”
Am I crazy for wanting to smile?
“You can’t keep killing everything that hurts me,” I tell him when I mean to say yes. Set the whole damn world on fire, and I would laugh and laugh like a madwoman.
“See, darlin',” he brushes hair from my face and kisses my forehead. “I think I can.”
“There are things I can’t tell you.” A whole life I lived that I don’t want to share.
So many hurts. So many lies. So many secrets I have to keep.
“It’s too dangerous for me to stay here,” I whisper. “I should go back to New Mexico.”
“Because you want to?”
I shake my head.
The last thing I would ever want is to climb back into the cage I was lucky enough to crawl out of.
To stop Jeremiah from bringing all his acolytes and his guards here with their guns if they learn I’m here and refuse to leave.
I have to go back to protect everyone in this house from a fight they can’t win.
He cradles the nape of my neck, and I lean into his touch, craving more of it. “I overheard Nance say something about a man looking for his wife. Was the man who hurt you your husband?”
I look away, hating that he heard that much.
He angles my head up. “How much of a say did you have in that?”
