“Ms. Taylor,” the man named Leif says.
“I don’t need a freaking babysitter.”
“He’s not a babysitter, Kelly,” Reid says. “He’s security for you. Plain and simple. There have been threats made against you, and we’re still not sure where—”
“I’ve told you. It’s Brindley.”
“She denies it, and we don’t have proof. But someone is making those threats, and I want to make sure you are adequately protected.” Reid rakes his fingers through his short black hair. “Leif here is the best. He’s an ex-Navy SEAL, and he’s been working for me for years. He has my complete faith and confidence.”
“Isn’t it more important that he have my complete faith and confidence?” I regard Leif Ramsey. He’s tall and broad and gorgeous, of course. Blond hair and blue eyes, fair skin. An obvious Nordic type. “Are you some kind of Viking?”
“My mother is of Norwegian descent,” he says. “My father’s family comes from the UK. I assure you my ethnicity has nothing to do with my qualifications.”
“I don’t care about your qualifications,” I say. “Consider yourself fired.”
“Fine by me.” Reid shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
“He’s not on your payroll, Ms. Taylor,” Reid says. “He’s on mine. I own this building, and Mr. Ramsey will be occupying apartment 405.”
“Isn’t that cozy? Since I’m in 407.”
“All of you ladies are on the fourth floor, may I remind you,” Reid says.
“Yeah, but you put this clown right next to me.”
I shake my head. “Dude, you’re not paying me enough.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Reid says. “Let me triple what I’m paying you for this job.”
“Why don’t you quadruple it,” I say, “because I sure am not going to make it easy for him.”
“Good enough.” Reid nods. “Quadruple it is, Leif. Enjoy yourself. Come on. Let me show you to your place.”
I follow them since I’m going up anyway. Inside the elevator, I feel cramped between these two broad-shouldered men.
Some of the women on the island were very tall—Aspen for example. She was a professional volleyball player. Which meant every time I looked at her, I remembered my mother crushing my volleyball dreams all those years ago.
But that wasn’t Aspen’s fault. The year of therapy on the island convinced me of that.
I was fucked up.
I’m still fucked up, but I’m learning.
And regressing…
I haven’t made it easy for the Wolfe family, even though I know none of this was their fault. It took me a while to accept that. I mean, how could their father have been doing all of this without anyone finding out about it?
Especially Reid, who worked side-by-side with his father at his company? The other three weren’t involved in his business, so it’s a little easier to give them a pass. But Reid? The guy in the elevator with me right now?
I’m having a hard time forgiving him.
Plus, he’s married to the one woman who managed to get away. Her name is Zinnia, Zee for short. Somehow, she escaped before she got to the island. I don’t know the whole story, although she’s made it clear that she’s willing to talk to any of us if we’d like to.
Maybe one day I will. She has a new baby at home, though.
How could she fall in love with Reid Wolfe? The son of the man who kidnapped her, nearly sent her to that horrific place?
The elevator dings as we reach the fourth floor. When the doors open, Reid and the Navy SEAL guy both stand there.
Gentlemen? I guess they’re waiting for me to go out. Ladies first and all.
I suppose I should be flattered but instead I’m more pissed off.
Seems I’m always pissed off.
Macy says I’m making amazing progress, but the other women here don’t seem nearly as angry as I am.
“We all go at our own speed,” Macy said to me once, “and your doctors at the retreat center wouldn’t have sent you back here if they didn’t feel you were ready.”
Of course, I’ve always wondered if they sent me here because they were tired of dealing with me. I didn’t make it easy for them, either. I walked out on several sessions, and that was tame compared to the time I hurled a book at a timid therapist named Dr. Nook. I never saw her again. Instead, I got a male therapist, Dr. Sweeney. I didn’t hurl a book at him. I hurled a paperweight from his desk, and I just missed his temple.
After that, I had a chaperone for sessions until they could trust me again.
I’ve never made it easy for anyone in my life, and it’s not that I don’t want to. I don’t want to feel like this. It’s horrible, feeling agitation and resentment all the time.
The only time I feel relaxed is when I’m in a session with Macy, and then for a couple hours afterward. Talking to her helps me, but then I go back to my old ways.
I walk to my apartment, and Reid and the blond guy head to the one next door.
Reid slides his key card through the reader, and the door clicks open.
And then, for some reason unknown to me, I walk toward them and follow them inside the apartment.
I clear my throat.
They both turn, Reid widening his eyes and Leif with a nondescript look on his handsome face.
“May we help you with something, Ms. Taylor?” Reid asks.
“I’m the freaking welcome wagon,” I say.
Leif scoffs. “Could’ve fooled me.” Then he softens. “I’m sorry.”
I shrug. “Why are you sorry? I’m being a bitch.”
A glance passes between them.
I know what it is.
They know what I’ve been through.
And they feel like they have to be soft for me. Treat me with kid gloves.
I get so damned uncomfortable when people are nice to me. It feels all wrong.
“You can agree with me,” I say to Leif.
He glances at Reid. “Okay. I agree with you. You’re being a bitch. But you have every right to be, after what you’ve been through.”
There he goes again, giving me an out. If a paperweight appeared in my hand at this moment, I’m pretty sure I’d hurl it right between his eyes.
Fine. They all want to say it’s okay for me to act like this? Then I’ll act like this.
I take in the beige walls and leather furniture in the living room. “This décor sucks.”
I hate leather furniture.
We had leather furniture in our house growing up, and even though I know it’s expensive and wears well and all that good crap, I still hate it, because it reminds me of home. Reminds me of my thighs sticking to it on a hot day.
It reminds me of my mother, sitting in her recliner and smoking a cigarette, and me, walking on eggshells, knowing she could snap at any moment.
“I think it looks fine,” Leif says.
“Good,” Reid says. “But if you want to change anything, go ahead. Just expense it.”
“I’m easy,” Leif says, giving me a stink eye. “I don’t care much about décor.”
“Good thing,” I can’t help saying. “Does everything have to be so neutral? And a glass topped coffee table? Can’t you people afford marble?”
Reid clears his throat. “This is a one-bedroom place,” he says to Leif, totally ignoring me, “and the bedroom is around that hallway, on the other side of the kitchen. The kitchen is fully stocked with groceries for you. And of course anything you need, just expense that as well.”
“Must be nice,” I scoff.
“Ms. Taylor, you have a credit card at your disposal for any necessities.”
“I don’t like to use it.”
“That’s funny,” Reid says. “My assistant says you use it quite often.”
I cross my arms. “I do. I said I don’t like to. I hate not paying my own way.”
“Then find a job,” Leif says.
“I’m trying. But I don’t have any education. Besides, Macy says I may not quite be ready.”
“It’s okay,” Reid says, his voice gentle. “Macy has my confidence, and she knows what’s best for you. We are all here for you, and we want you fully healed.”
I scoff again. “Fully healed? Never going to happen.”
“We know that.” Reid reaches toward my shoulder and then appears to think better of trying to touch me. “A part of your experience will always be with you, but you can move forward with life. You’re a smart girl, Ms. Taylor.”
“I’m a woman.”
“Of course.” Reid attempts a smile, but I can see he’s tense.
I seem to make everyone tense.
“I didn’t mean to insult you,” Reid continues. “You’re a woman, a very intelligent woman, and my family is committed to helping you in any way we can.”
Thank you, I say to myself.
I haven’t said thank you to any of the Wolfes yet. The only people I’ve thanked are Macy and my doctors on the island.
But the Wolfes?
I just can’t do it. Not yet. Even though I’m well aware of everything they’ve done for me.
I am grateful in my own way.
The words just don’t seem to come out.
For some reason, I follow Reid and Leif into the bedroom.
The king-size bed, covered in a satin black comforter, draws my gaze. I like the décor better in here. A chest of drawers and a dresser line the wall, and a door is open to reveal a large walk-in closet. The apartment is the same layout as my own, only I have a queen-size bed.
“Looks top-notch,” Leif says. “Thank you, Reid.”
“Absolutely. No problem. Rock and I will feel a lot better with you this close to Kelly and the others.”
“There are only three of us here right now,” Kelly says.
“Some of the women chose to go straight home rather than stay here first.” Reid cocks his head. “Jade, for example. Amethyst.”
“They have names, you know.” Of course, I don’t know what they are.
“You’re absolutely right. Carly. And Jenna.”
“Why did they choose to go home?”
“They had family available. They wanted to go home to family.”
Right. Family. I remember Katelyn—Moonstone—didn’t want to go home because her mother was kind of a freak. Garnet—Aspen—seems to love her parents but wanted to stay here first, gather her bearings.
They’re both gone now, married.
Aspen somehow snagged that other Navy SEAL guy, and boy, is he hot.
But damn… The one standing in front of me now? A hundred times hotter, and I’ve never liked blond men that much.
That’s a strange thing, and something I was just talking to Macy about.
I’m finding men attractive again, which means I’m healing.
And Leif Ramsey is about the most attractive man I’ve ever laid eyes on.
Which means I need to get the hell out of here.
I turn.
“Kelly?”
I turn back around. I know Reid’s voice, and that wasn’t it.
It was Leif’s voice that said my name.
“Yes?”
“I’m right next door. Whenever you need anything. That’s what I’m here for. Anything.”
I nod.
Then the words come out. The words I have such a hard time saying.
“Thank you.”