Exile

Chapter 16

DARWYNN

Checking out of the tiny house wasn’t as bittersweet as I thought it would be. The moment I handed the keys back to Theresa, her eyes sharp as ever, I felt a strange sense of relief. Maybe it was because I knew I wasn’t really leaving Hilton Beach.

Not yet, anyway.

Yesterday, when I brought up having to check out this morning before ten, he glared at me with the most unhappy expression I had ever seen. He had always been grumpy, but the way he looked at me was an all-new look. He didn’t want me to leave, and with a stern voice, he said, “You’re staying.”

Of course, I couldn’t say no to that. He invited me to stay at his place until we figured out what was next.

“So,”

Theresa said, locking the front door of the tiny house, “are you going back home now?”

I shook my head, smiling tightly. “I’m actually staying for a while. At Caspian’s.”

Her brows shot up. “He actually invited you to stay. Well, I’ll be damned.”

“Is it that surprising?”

I asked with a small laugh.

Theresa shrugged. “I didn’t think he’d want you to stay for longer, seeing as he liked being alone. But…it seems that he liked having you around.”

If she only knew…

Her words warmed me more than I cared to admit. I smiled. “I’m his granddaughter. I’m guessing having family around is different.”

“Family.”

She huffed, shaking her head at me dismissively. “You showed up out of nowhere without a warning.”

I knew what she was getting at. Caspian was done with his past. He wanted to live his life quietly and without company. But even then, I believed that I came to find him at the right time.

Or…I was the right person he was missing in his life.

Either way, I was here, and I wasn’t leaving.

Not unless Caspian kicked me out of this village himself.

“All right,”

I said, giving her another tight smile. “Thanks, Theresa, this place was nice.”

I picked up my bags and headed down the two steps of the porch. “I’ll see you around.”

A small nod was all she gave me before she left, and without giving our conversation any more care, I walked to Caspian’s house, where he was already waiting for me on the porch.

His arms were crossed over his chest, and he watched me carefully as I stepped up to stand in front of him. I dropped my bags on either side of me and smiled up at him. “Here I am. But you don’t really look so happy that I am.”

He scoffed. “What did Theresa say to you?”

Ah. He must’ve seen us talking outside the tiny house.

“Nothing. She asked if I was going back home, but I told her that I was staying with you.”

“And she made a snarky remark, I guess?”

I shrugged. “Pretty much. But I handled it, and it’s nothing you have to worry about.”

I smiled again, tipping my chin toward the front door. “Will you let me in?”

He lifted one finger. “There are house rules.”

I raised my brow, amused. “I’ve been in there before, Caz.”

“But you haven’t lived in my house before.”

His gaze was locked on mine, serious, and I decided not to fight him on this.

“Okay. Go ahead.”

“Don’t leave dishes in the sink overnight.”

“Fair.”

“Don’t touch the thermostat. I like it cold.”

I pursed my lips. “Guess I’ll never sleep naked then.”

“I’ll keep you warm.”

“Fine with me,”

I said with a grin.

“No baking.”

“But—”

“No. Baking.”

“But why? It’ll make your house smell amazing.”

He raised a brow. “Are you saying my house stinks?”

“No, of course not. But you’d be surprised at how relaxing it is sitting around the house with the smell of freshly baked cupcakes around you.”

He studied me carefully, making up his mind about his rule. “Fine. You can bake. But you clean up afterward.”

“Of course I will,”

I promise with a gentle smile. “Anything else?”

“Yes.”

He took a step closer, looking around to make sure nobody was casually walking by. His eyes met mine, and he lowered his head before whispering, “We fuck every day. No exceptions.”

My breath hitched. That’s a rule I would definitely obey. “Gladly.”

“Good girl.”

Shivers ran down my spine as he left me standing there on the porch while he grabbed my bags and carried them inside. I followed him inside when I managed to get my legs to work. He carried the bags to his bedroom, and when he returned, he stood in front of me again.

He cupped my face with both hands, leaned in, and kissed me softly. I eased into him immediately and rested my hands on his chest. He pulled back a little while later and rested his forehead against mine. “I’m glad you’re staying with me,”

he whispered.

“Me too.”

I smiled, kissing him again, and wrapping my arms around his neck. He held me close, putting his arms tightly around my waist.

Yeah, I definitely stayed a while longer. I wanted more of this moment. More of him. Of us.

Hilton Beach wasn’t just a detour anymore.

It was starting to feel like a place where I might just belong.

***

Two weeks later, I managed to follow the three little rules he had asked me to follow. I especially enjoyed rule number three: fucking every day.

He rarely made me catch my breath or give me time to let my body relax, but all the soreness from all the fucking felt good in a way. He was restless, and when I asked him if he had always slept this little, he just laughed.

Of course, he had slept way more hours before I turned up at his door a couple of weeks ago, but he didn’t seem to miss it.

Today wasn’t about him or our rules. Today, I needed to get out of the house for a bit. I convinced Caspian to let me walk to the general store to get a few ingredients for dinner tonight. I promised him I’d text him the second I arrived, even if the store was just down the road. He wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea, but he relented.

He told me not to talk to Henry, but I hadn’t intended to, anyway. My plan was to go in, grab the ingredients, and leave.

The bell above the door chimed as I stepped into the store, making my entrance seem way more excited than I was. I looked around and grabbed a basket before making my way toward the shelves.

Henry was nowhere in sight, but I’d for sure see him at checkout.

I started placing things in my basket, occasionally grabbing things we didn’t really need. Caspian wouldn’t be too happy about that, but I was sure he’d enjoy some good old salt and vinegar chips too.

“Well, look who it is.”

Henry’s voice came out of nowhere, and when I turned around, I saw him standing right there, a few feet behind me. “Heard you’re extending your stay. Say, are you staying on your own will, or is he forcing you to stay?”

I frowned at him. “Forcing me?”

I didn’t have the strength to start an argument with him, but I wasn’t going to let him say things that simply weren’t true.

“Yeah. I’m surprised he let you come here alone. Thought he kept a tight leash on you.”

I gripped the basket tighter. “He’s not keeping me on a leash.”

Henry’s eyes gleamed with mock amusement. “Sure, he’s not. Everyone in town’s talking about it. You know, how Caspian’s got you holed up in that house of his now. Never lets you go anywhere alone. Doesn’t let you talk to anyone.”

“That’s not true,”

I said, heat rising in my cheeks. “I can talk to whoever I like, but he’s pretty much the only one I like talking to.”

He lifted his hand to his chest. “Ouch. That hurt, darling.”

God, I hated him.

He was in his thirties, and you would think that he was mature enough not to act this way.

I turned away to grab the last couple of things I needed for dinner, needing to get some distance between us, but he followed me shamelessly.

“Men like Caspian…they don’t change. You think you’re special because you’re family? He doesn’t really care about you. God knows why he’s keeping you here. Probably wants us to think that he’s a good man, but we all know he’s not.”

I was angry.

Hurt by the words he so loosely threw at me.

Henry didn’t know shit about Caspian.

Or my relationship with him.

I opened my mouth to respond, my words ready to attack, but I was stopped when the door behind me creaked open. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. I felt the shift in the air, the sudden tension.

There was also the look of horror in Henry’s eyes, which he tried hard to hide.

Of course, Caspian came to my rescue. Again.

“Henry,”

Caspian’s voice was low, deadly. “Step away from her.”

Henry’s smirk faded as he took a step back. “Just talking, Caspian. Didn’t realize she needed a bodyguard.”

Caspian moved past me in a blur, placing himself between me and Henry. His fists were clenched at his sides, his body tense. “You’re done talking. You don’t get to make her uncomfortable.”

“Uncomfortable?”

Henry laughed nervously. “Come on, man. I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking. She doesn’t look like she wants to be here. You’re forcing her.”

Brave motherfucker.

Didn’t think he’d actually have the balls to tell Caspian what was on his mind.

The veins on the side of Caspian’s neck flexed, and I reached out to touch his arm, wanting to calm him down. “Caz, come on. It’s not worth it.”

But he didn’t react to me. He continued to stare him down. “I don’t give one single shit about what any of you think. She’s family. She’s staying. And she’s here because she wants to be here. Now stay the fuck away from her.”

Henry held Caspian’s glare for a moment before muttering, “Whatever,”

and heading back to the counter.

Caspian turned to me, his jaw still tight. “You okay?”

“Yeah,”

I said softly. “I’m okay.”

He gave me once-over, trying to figure out if I was truly okay, then he grabbed the basket from me, asking, “Did you get everything?”

“The milk and eggs are missing.”

“Wait by the exit,”

he ordered and walked over to grab those two things before heading to the counter. He didn’t give Henry any attention but waited patiently as he scanned every item.

He grumbled the total, and Caspian threw the money on the counter before grabbing the paper bag and turning back to me. “Let’s go.”

I let him lead me out of the store, his hand on my lower back. Outside, I exhaled shakily.

“I’m sorry,”

he said, voice low. “I should’ve come with you.”

I didn’t argue with that.

I could’ve done it alone if Henry wouldn’t have been such a dick.

“I’m glad you showed up when you did.”

His eyes softened slightly. “Next time, we go together.”

I smiled faintly. “Fine.”

We walked in silence, and once we got to his house, I turned to him and said, “You know, I don’t believe anything anyone says about you here. I know who you are and why you want me to stay. I don’t care about anyone else.”

He gave me a sharp nod. “Good. Because everyone here is full of shit. Especially Henry.”

I agreed, so I decided to leave it at that.

But Caspian didn’t.

Later that night, after our homecooked dinner and changing into my pajamas, I found him standing by the living room window, a glass of whiskey in hand. The muscles in his back were tight beneath his shirt, his posture rigid as he stared out into the darkness.

I approached quietly, slipping my arms around his waist from behind. He was still thinking about the interaction we had with Henry. “He’s not worth your time,”

I whispered against his shoulder blade.

His hand covered mine, squeezing gently. “I know,”

he said, though his jaw remained clenched. “But when I saw him standing there, talking to you like that…I wanted to rip his throat out.”

I shivered, not from fear but from the raw protectiveness in his voice. “I can handle guys like Henry.”

At least, I liked to think I could.

“Yeah?”

He turned around, cupping my face with one hand. “Well, you shouldn’t have to.”

His thumb traced my lower lip, his eyes burning into mine. “You’re mine to protect. Always.”

The intensity of his gaze made my knees weak.

I leaned into him, tilting my head up for a kiss, but instead, he gave me another once-over—this one slower, more possessive. His mouth curved into a dark smile.

“Go to the bedroom,”

he said softly, the command clear in his tone. “Undress. Get on the bed.”

I swallowed, my pulse quickening as I nodded. I turned and headed down the hall, my legs trembling with each step, anticipation drumming through me.

Whatever anger Henry had stirred in Caspian earlier had shifted into something else now. Something sharp and unrelenting.

And tonight, I knew I would feel every ounce of it.