Chapter 36
Kat
The estate loomed before me as the taxi pulled through the unmanned gate, making its way down the slight hill. The black stone house was eerily silent and seemed to envelop the grounds around it. The pasture was empty of all horses and the pond, usually full of ducks and geese, was void of life. My heart raced as I paid the driver and stepped out, the gravel crunching beneath my feet. The air was thick with an unsettling stillness, broken only by the distant call of a lone bird.
I approached the house, my footsteps crunching in the gravel. The front door creaked open at my touch, revealing a darkened interior. “Hello?” I called out, my voice sounding small and fragile in the emptiness. No response came.
Room by room, I searched the house, each empty space adding to the growing knot of dread in my stomach. Rory’s room, still bearing traces of his scent, stood frozen in time as if waiting for his return. Declan’s study, usually a hive of activity, was eerily still, papers scattered across his desk as if he’d left in a hurry.
In the kitchen, I found signs of a hastily abandoned meal - half-empty cups of tea, a plate of biscuits left untouched. Connor would never leave his kitchen in such a condition. Even Rory’s mom’s room was deserted, the absence of her beloved dog’s excited barking added to the unsettling atmosphere.
With shaking hands, I pulled out my phone and dialed Rory’s number again. The familiar ringtone echoed through the empty house, mocking me with its cheerful tune before cutting to voicemail. “Rory, please,” I whispered, fighting back tears. “Where are you?”
Desperation clawing at my chest, I stumbled out onto the back patio. The once meticulously manicured gardens stretched out before me, were now overgrown, bathed in the soft glow of twilight. It was beautiful, peaceful - and utterly wrong without the family that should have been there to enjoy it.
Unable to hold back any longer, I sank onto a nearby bench and let the tears flow. Sobs wracked my body as the full weight of fear that they were all dead crashed over me. Had I come all this way only to find them gone? How could something so terrible truly happen?
As I sat there, lost in my grief, a muffled sound caught my attention. It was faint at first, barely audible over my own ragged breathing. But then it came again - a string of colorful curses floating on the evening air from the direction of the old barn.
My heart leapt into my throat. Someone was here! Wiping my eyes, I rose to my feet and started towards the barn, hope and anxiety warring within me. The curses grew louder as I approached, accompanied by the clang of a metal wrench dropping onto concrete.
With trembling hands, I pushed open the barn door, wincing at the loud creak of rusted hinges. The interior was dim, lit only by a single work light that cast long shadows across the hay-strewn floor.
“Hello?” I called out. My voice echoed through the cavernous space of the barn, bouncing off weathered wooden beams and rusted farm equipment. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, the curse I’d heard earlier was repeated, followed by the clang of metal on metal.
My heart pounding, I moved closer. “Hello?” I called again, my voice barely above a whisper.
Ror y
I was so focused on tightening the last stubborn bolt that I almost missed the soft voice calling out. But then I heard it again, closer this time, and my heart nearly stopped. I knew that voice. Every night I had dreamed of it for weeks.
“Kat?” I called out, my own voice rough with disbelief. I scrambled out from under the truck, not caring about the grease smeared across my hands and face.
And there she was, standing in the barn doorway, backlit by the golden hour’s light. For a moment, I thought I must be hallucinating. But no, she was real - her auburn hair glowing like a halo, her stormy gray eyes, wide with a mix of relief and uncertainty.
“Rory,” she breathed, and the sound of my name on her lips broke whatever spell had frozen me in place.
I crossed the distance between us in three long strides, pulling her into my arms. She melted against me, her body racking with sobs as her fingers clutched at my shirt as if afraid I might disappear. I buried my face in her hair, inhaling the familiar scent of lavender and home.
“You’re here,” I murmured, still hardly daring to believe it. “You came back. ”
Kat pulled back just enough to look up at me, her eyes swimming with tears. “I heard there was an explosion, an ambush. I thought... I was afraid...”
Understanding dawned, and I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up from my chest. “Those assholes.”
Her brow furrowed in confusion. “What? Who?”
I grinned, unable to contain my joy at having her back in my arms. “Declan and Wren. Let me guess, you had a visit from two bikers, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.” Kat’s eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. “The bikers at the bar... that was...?”
“Declan and Wren in disguise,”
For a moment, she just stared at me, her expression unreadable. Then, without warning, she smacked my chest. “You bastard!” she exclaimed, but there was no heat behind her words. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?”
I caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her fingertips. “We talked about it, but I didn’t know they actually went to see you!”
Her eyes flashed with a mixture of anger and relief. “You talked about it? So, you knew they were planning something?”
I ran a hand through my hair, suddenly feeling sheepish. “Not exactly. We had talked about ways to get you to come back, but I didn’t think they’d actually go through with anything. I swear, Kat, I had no idea they were going to pull a stunt like this.”
She shook her head, a rueful smile tugging at her lips. “I can’t believe I fell for it. I was so scared, Rory. I thought... I thought I might have lost you.”
The helplessness in her voice made my heart clench. I cupped her face in my hands, my thumbs gently wiping away the tears that had started to fall again. “Hey, look at me,” I said softly. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
She leaned into my touch, her eyes searching mine. “Promise?”
“I promise,” I said, my voice thick with emotion. “God, Kat, I’ve missed you so much. These past weeks without you... I felt like I was missing a part of myself.”
She smiled then, a real smile that lit up her whole face. “I missed you too. More than I thought possible.”
I couldn’t hold back any longer. I leaned in, capturing her lips with mine in a kiss that was equal parts tender and passionate. She responded immediately, her arms wrapping around my neck as she pressed herself closer .
When we finally broke apart, both breathless, I rested my forehead against hers. “Stay,” I whispered. “Please, Kat. Stay with me this time. You can take over from Declan as Captain, that way you will always be safe.”
She smiled, and snuggled closer to me, resting her head on my chest. “If I do, does that mean you will be my right-hand man?”
I chuckled softly, wrapping my arms tight around her. “For you? I’d be anything you want me to be.”
She lifted her head to look at me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Anything? That’s a dangerous promise, Mr. Hennessy.”
“One I intend to keep,” I said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “So, are you staying?”
“Not if I have to take over as Captain. I never wanted it, remember?”
“I do, and you don’t have to. But are you sure you will be happy here?” The thought of her leaving me again would destroy me, and I needed to get that out in the open.
“I have no choice. I gave Derek my bar.”
“You did what?!” I was mildly shocked, but that didn’t answer my question. But her following words did .
She nodded. “I knew if you were alive, I wasn’t going back to Nevada.”
“And if I hadn’t been alive? What would you have done?”
She took a deep breath. “I would have stayed until I hunted down every person who had a hand in your death.”
The fierce determination in her eyes spoke volumes about the depth of her feelings. I pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
“Well, lucky for both of us, that wasn’t necessary,” I murmured against her skin. “Though I have to admit, the thought of you going all avenging angel on my behalf is oddly appealing.”
She laughed softly; the sound muffled against my chest. “Don’t get any ideas. I much prefer you alive and in one piece.”
I pointed towards the truck I was working on. “You know, I was planning to drive this beauty down to the desert to surprise you. “
Kat’s eyes widened as she took in the vehicle, seeming to truly notice it for the first time. “Is that... is that Nellie?”
“It is,” I nodded, unable to keep the pride from my voice. “Rebuilt from the ground up. Figured if I couldn’t bring you back to us, I’d at least bring a piece of us to you. And just so you know, I would have stayed.”
“It’s beautiful, Rory. Thank you.” She asked as she walked over to the truck, running her hand along its gleaming surface. She then stopped and looked at me. “Wait. You would have left the family for me?”
I grinned. “Yeah. I told Declan that once it was done, I was leaving and never coming back. Likely why him and Wren took matters into their own hands.”
“I’m glad they did,” she murmured, as I moved to stand behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.
“Want to take it for a spin? Christening it as the new Captain’s ride?”
Kat turned in my arms, a wicked glint in her eye. “I have a better idea for christening it,” she said, pulling me down for a searing kiss.
As we lost ourselves in each other, all thoughts of Captains and Clans faded away.
And as the sun set over the estate, casting long shadows across the barn, I knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, we’d face them together.
Because my spitfire was home.
∞∞∞
Keep reading for a look into Sanctuary, Connor and Mia’s story.