CHAPTER NINE
Although disappointed, Angela wasn’t really surprised when Jude didn’t return to sample the cinnamon rolls later that day. She had to remember that she was just another person whose security was his responsibility.
Anything he did with her was at the behest of Duncan. Her… father.
With a sigh, she sank down on the loveseat next to the window in her room and stared out at the forest around the mansion.
The trees swayed gently in the late afternoon breeze, their stark branches creating dancing shadows across the snowy lawn. The sun would soon be gone for the day, since the winter days in Idaho were short.
Angela traced her finger along the windowpane, feeling the cool glass against her skin. How strange to think that not that long ago, she'd never seen a house so grand. Never seen so much snow that lingered. Never known she was a Burke.
She picked up the worn, leather-bound book beside her. She’d found it in the kitchen, and Mrs. Stevens had said she could look through it. The book contained the handwritten recipes of Mrs. Stevens and her mother, going back several decades.
But she couldn’t focus on the words. And it wasn’t because she needed to concentrate to make out the words written in a spidery scrawl.
Her mind kept drifting back to Jude's serious expression, and the way his blue eyes had softened slightly when she'd asked him if he wanted to stick around for a cinnamon bun, even though he’d said he couldn’t.
There had been something there, hadn't there? Or was she imagining a connection where none existed?
"You're being silly," she whispered to herself.
A man like Jude wouldn't be interested in someone like her—someone who barely understood the world she now found herself in. Besides, he worked for her father. There were probably rules about that sort of thing.
The sound of footsteps in the hallway made her heart quicken, even though she knew it wasn’t likely to be Jude. In fact, it was Kiara, and when she stepped through the doorway, Angela straightened.
“Hey, Sis,” Kiara said as she plopped down on the loveseat next to Angela. “What’ve you been up to? I smell the cinnamon rolls, so I assume they turned out okay.”
“I think they did,” Angela said. “They looked like the ones I made at the bakery.”
“Do you miss it?” Kiara asked.
“Not the early mornings or Patty,” Angela told her. “But I do miss all the baking I did.”
“Cinnamon rolls weren’t enough?”
“Just felt different.” Angela shrugged. “But it will be fine. How about you? Do you miss your jobs?”
“Not the gas station,” Kiara said with a laugh. “But I miss the library.”
“What are we going to do here?” Angela rubbed her fingers on the leather cover of the recipe book. “Just… nothing?”
“Good question.” Kiara sighed, and her easygoing attitude slipped away. “I don’t know what we’re supposed to do. Have you talked to your… to Duncan about it?”
“No. I don’t know how to broach it with him.”
“What about Jude?”
Warmth threatened to flood her cheeks, but she hoped that Kiara didn’t notice. “What about him?”
“Have you talked to him about it?”
“Not about jobs or anything,” she said. “But he did mention that he was going to be helping us learn self-defense.”
“Self defense?”
“Yep, and driving.”
Kiara’s eyes glowed. “I’m excited about that.”
“Also, we’re supposed to be getting new phones.”
Kiara looked down at her phone. They each had the cheapest model they could get, so the prospect of an updated one was appealing.
“Do you think we’ll get the latest versions?”
“I don’t know,” Angela said. “They’ll probably just give us whichever ones the tracker works on.”
“Tracker? What tracker?”
“Oh. Well, Jude said they’ll give us phones with tracker software on them so that if we’re ever abducted or need help, they know right away where we are.”
Kiara frowned. “I’m not sure I like the idea of that.”
Angela understood Kiara's hesitation. The idea of being constantly monitored felt suffocating, even if it was for their protection. "I know what you mean. But after everything that's happened…"
"You're right," Kiara said, though she still looked uncomfortable. "I guess I'm still adjusting to the idea that we need that level of security."
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the shadows lengthen across the snow. Angela found herself thinking about how different their lives had become—from scraping by paycheck to paycheck to living in a mansion where their every move was monitored for their safety.
"Can I ask you something?" Kiara's voice was quieter now.
"Of course."
"Do you think we'll ever feel like we belong here? Like, is this really our life?"
Angela closed the recipe book and turned to face her sister fully. It was a question that had been weighing on her own heart. "I don't know. When I was baking earlier, it felt almost normal. But then I remember where I am, and it's like I'm playing dress-up in someone else's life."
"Exactly." Kiara pulled her knees up to her chest. "Everyone here—Duncan, Elizabeth, even the staff—is all so kind. But I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"What do you mean?"
"Like they'll realize we don't fit and send us back to our old lives." Kiara paused, rubbing her hand against her heart. “Or maybe they’ll just send me back to our old life.”
An icy fear wound its way through Angela. She shook her head almost frantically. “No. I won’t let that happen.”
She couldn’t imagine a worse scenario. If they truly thought that she’d stick around if they sent Kiara away, they were in for a rude awakening.
“We’re a package deal, Kiki,” she said.
Kiara shrugged. “We don’t have to be. Maybe you’d rather have your new family.”
“I want it all,” Angela said. “I want you and my family.” And Jude, a small voice in her head said. “But I’ve lived a lifetime without the Burkes. I wouldn’t want to live the rest of my life without them, but I would. For you.”
Kiara gave her a tremulous smile. “We might have had a bad childhood, but it brought us together. I don’t want to lose you.”
“You’re what got me through that time.” Angela shifted over to lean against Kiara’s shoulder. “I can’t imagine life without you.”
“Well, hopefully we never have to experience that.” Kiara reached up to pat her cheek. “We’ll be fine.”
It wasn’t the first time Kiara had said those words to her, and Angela had believed them each and every time. They would be fine.
Because as long as her expectations were never too high, everything would be okay.
The next morning, she and Kiara left the mansion and made their way to the security building. The rural setting was similar to where they’d grown up, just on a much grander scale.
The homestead had had a rambling farmhouse with several outbuildings. However, they hadn’t been anywhere near as well-kept as the buildings here. So far, in addition to the mansion, they’d seen a rec center that had a pool and basketball court, as well as a weight room.
This was their first visit to the security building, and Angela found her pulse was beating faster in anticipation of seeing Jude again. She tried to keep her steps slow and measured to match Kiara’s, but inside, she wanted to rush along the road and through the door.
Soon enough, they reached the building. Kiara opened the door and held it for Angela.
“Hello.”
“Hi,” Kiara said, smiling at the woman who had greeted them.
“You must be Kiara and Angela,” she said, holding out her hand. “I’m Dawn.”
“Are you a bodyguard?” Kiara asked as they each shook hands with her.
“Yes.” Dawn led them through a door into a large space where there were large monitors on the wall and several more people. “I provide security for Annie.”
Before she could respond to that revelation, Jude came through a doorway on the opposite side of the room. He wore a white button-down shirt tucked into a pair of black slacks.
“Good morning, ladies,” Jude said with a nod. “Let me introduce you to the rest of the team.”
There were two women and four men present, though Jude mentioned that several more were scattered around the estate. Some of the ones present in the room were bodyguards for the other members of the Burke family.
Angela wondered if she and Kiara would be assigned bodyguards of their own. It was weird even to consider.
“Come on through to my office,” Jude said. “I’ve got your phones there.”
Angela followed Jude into the room, trying not to notice how the crisp white shirt stretched across his broad shoulders or how his dark hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck.
His office was meticulously organized—a large desk dominated the space, with several monitors displaying what appeared to be security camera feeds from around the property. A bookshelf stood against one wall, filled with books, but Angela couldn’t read their titles.
"Have a seat," Jude gestured to the two chairs facing his desk. As they settled in, he reached into a drawer and pulled out two sleek boxes, then slid them across the desk. One to each of them. "These are yours."
Kiara immediately opened hers, her eyes widening at the sight of the sleek device. "This is the latest version. We could barely afford phones from four years ago."
Angela hesitated before opening her box. "Thank you," she said softly, meeting Jude's eyes. "About the tracker—"
"It's standard protocol for all family members," Jude interrupted, his voice professional but not harsh. "The tracking app is only used in emergency situations or if you press the panic button. Your privacy is still respected."
He looked directly at Kiara as he said this last part, making Angela wonder if he'd somehow overheard their conversation from yesterday.
"Is the tracking always on?" Kiara asked, voicing what Angela was thinking.
"Yes," Jude said without apology. "It's non-negotiable for all Burke family members. Even Duncan has it on his phone."
"So you know where everyone is all the time?" Angela asked as she gripped the box.