Page 74 of Wildflower and Whiskey
“She was one of the only ones who didn’t look at me like I was damaged goods,” Elyna said softly. “We kept in touch after she moved to Montreal. I’d run into her sometimes at cafés, markets, you know how small that city can feel once you’ve lived there a while.”
Becket’s brows lifted slightly. “You’ve seen her recently?”
“We kept in touch. She was the one who warned me about Riley cheating on me,” Elyna winced. “I think she said she was working at a bakery part time while saving to open her own place. I don’t think she’s back in touch with her father. She left because of him.”
Dad gave a slow nod, absorbing that. “Harmony’s a good kid, but Marcel? He’s a man who doesn’t like loose ends.”
I rubbed a hand along the back of my neck. “And now he’s got competition breathing down his neck, A guy named Marchand that Riley dragged here from Montreal. That’s going to make him unpredictable.”
The silence that followed was thick, charged with things none of us wanted to name out loud. Elyna’s hand found mine under the counter, her fingers cool, grip tight. I squeezed back once.
Finally, Dad pushed away from the counter, his tone turning brisk again. “We’ll keep an eye on things. You two stay close to home. If you need anything, you call.”
Elyna’s voice was small but steady. “Thank you, Pierre.”
“No need for thanks,” he said, softer now. “You’re part of this family.”
Her eyes shone at that, and I knew the words hit deeper than he realized.
When Dad and Becket left, the house fell quiet again. The only sounds were Braden’s soft babbling and the rhythmic tick of the kitchen clock. I slid my chair closer and pulled Elyna into my lap. She didn’t resist, just curled into me, her head against my shoulder, her breath uneven.
“I hate you have to go through this,” I murmured.
“I hate it followed me here,” she whispered back. “This town was supposed to be safe.”
“It still is,” I said, meaning it. “As long as you’re here, I’ll make sure it stays that way.”
Her head lifted, her eyes searching mine. “Even if it means getting caught in the middle of something dangerous?”
I brushed my thumb along her jaw, forcing a smile. “Even then.”
Because that’s what Thornes did, we protected what was ours.
And somewhere along the way, Elyna and her little boy had become exactly that.
CHAPTER 33
Elyna
The loft was quiet except for the hum of the baby monitor and the soft whir of the heater. Braden was finally asleep, sprawled in his crib like a tiny starfish, his hair damp from his bath and his favorite blanket half-kicked down to his knees. I sat on the futon, legs tucked beneath me, a folded pile of his clothes beside me: tiny jeans, flannel onesies, his tiny socks.
Outside, the orchard was silvered with fog, the moon faint behind a veil of clouds. The cameras Phoenix installed glowed faintly along the deck, their blinking lights oddly reassuring. I checked the live feed on my phone out of habit. Everything looked calm. For the first time in weeks, I felt like I could breathe. Phoenix was still downstairs in the brewery, finishing an equipment check with Dominic. I’d offered to help, but he told me to rest. He was protective in that quiet, unyielding way, never overbearing, but always aware.
I was about to start folding another shirt when my phone buzzed across the coffee table.
Unknown Number.
My chest tightened. For a moment, I couldn’t move. After the messages, every alert still made my heart stutter. I almost ignored it but something in me saidanswer.
“Hello?”
A pause. Then, a familiar voice. “Elyna?”
I blinked. “Harmony?”
A soft laugh, though it sounded strained. “Yeah. Long time, huh?”
“Too long,” I said, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
