Chapter Two
Itip my head back and close my eyes, feeling the sun on my skin, rejuvenating from it, along with the earth beneath my fingertips.
The sweet smell of flowers permeates the air, though that’s the only thing sweet about this place.
Hidden within a meadow filled with wildflowers lies the deadly heart of this garden.
I take in the wolfsbane, devil’s weed, foxglove, deadly nightshade, monkshood, oleander, and lily of the valley, and give a happy smile at how much they’re thriving.
It’s been a long few months since I woke up in the hospital after draining myself almost dry.
It took me far longer to recover than I’d like to admit.
The truth is, I’m still not at one hundred percent, but being home has helped.
The house and land have nurtured me as much as Riggs has.
And somehow, this place, so full of traumatic memories, has become my favorite place on earth.
Jen has been by half a dozen times, usually under the guise of a form needing to be signed, but I knew she was checking up on me.
I’d scared her, so I let her fuss on me a little.
She meant well. David had hooked the place up like he said he would, so no more sneaky visits from Austin had occurred, thank god.
I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop Riggs from tearing him apart.
After finishing my workroom, Riggs transformed one of the ranch barns into a production room of sorts, where everything I was making could be boxed up, ready for shipping.
We were getting to the point where I was struggling to keep up with orders.
I needed to think about employing someone to help out, maybe more than one.
Though I had been loath to let anyone else into the cozy bubble Riggs and I had created here, while I had been in the hospital, he had taken on a small crew of men, none of them native to the area.
They’d been instrumental in keeping Riggs from drowning under everything.
They were hard workers, kept to themselves, and were paid well enough that they had no problem commuting from a couple of hours away.
With the cattle being taken care of, the next order of business was, well, my business.
I slip off my gloves, get to my feet, and stretch to work out the kinks.
I take in the vast space around me and chuckle at the twisted vines and bushes that still haven’t retreated.
The day I came home, I found that the outer edges of my land had taken it upon themselves to protect me.
Thorned bushes and twisted vines grew from nothing until they were easily twelve feet tall.
They were impossible to climb, and so densely packed together you couldn’t squeeze through.
I felt like a princess in a castle, being protected from the evil outside.
But I guess that wasn’t strictly true. The things I was doing would likely make me as evil, in some people’s eyes.
I just didn’t care. No, the real reason I was still hiding away here was to heal my wounds.
I’d let Austin get under my skin and almost lost my life in the process.
I was so mad that I gave him that power over me.
I needed to grow thicker skin and get myself in the right headspace before I faced him again.
I grab my things and head back, taking time to stroll through the flowers before I climb the fence and head to where Willow is waiting for me.
“Hey, girl. You miss me?”
She nudges my head with hers, which I take as a yes. I kiss her nose before tossing my things in the saddlebags and mounting her.
“Let’s go find Riggs, shall we?”
She takes off on a trot, in no rush herself. After a few days of nothing but rain, it was nice to get out and enjoy the sunshine. It seems Willow agrees with me.
I take in the land as we move over it—the crops that had been planted were almost ready to be harvested, and I had fresh fields that needed to be sown.
I fell into bed each night exhausted from the back-breaking work, but I loved every minute of it.
I felt fitter and stronger than I ever had, physically, at least. The rest would come.
I ride Willow back, passing the newly refurbished farm store where we produce wagyu burgers and steaks that I sell directly to customers.
Every other day, food is collected and delivered, becoming incredibly lucrative, even though the actual process turns my stomach.
I sure as heck wouldn’t give up being a vegetarian anytime soon.
Willow comes to a stop, pulling me from my thoughts of bloody meat. I lead her inside and give her a brush-down and some food before heading into the house, where the smell of lasagna has my stomach rumbling.
I walk up behind Riggs and wrap my arms around his waist, pressing the side of my face against his back.
He places his hands over mine for a minute before spinning. “You were gone too long.”
I laugh. “You knew where to find me.”
“I know, but I also know you like to work alone.”
“I don’t mind when it’s you.”
“Good to know.” He reaches down and sweeps me up before carrying me to the counter.
We’ve been more tactile with each other since the hospital, but the night always ends with him locking himself in his ranch house and me sleeping alone.
He felt me retreat. My heart got bruised by Shepard’s actions, though I try to pretend it didn’t.
It made me question my ability to read people.
I’d failed at it time and time again. I didn’t think I could handle being wrong about Riggs, too.
Instead of being pissed, he stood firm, giving me all the space I needed, never once making me feel like an inconvenience.
I wrap my legs around his hips as he cups my face and kisses me.
He starts gently, but it’s not enough. Something shifted in me today.
I’m not entirely sure what, but I’m done holding back.
I slide my hands underneath the hem of his T-shirt, sliding it up his body, only for the house to pull my focus away.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Someone’s here,” I grunt, straightening my hair while Riggs curses and adjusts his cock.
“I’ll get rid of them,” he offers, but I shake my head.
“It’s fine. Might as well see what they want.”
He lifts me down off the counter and walks with me to the door. I open it as a familiar red Toyota pulls up in front of the house.
I stay where I am, not sure what Dawn is doing here, unless she needs more cream.
She climbs out with her head down, then moves to the rear passenger door and opens it.
She reaches inside and pulls Hannah into her arms before heading my way.
I feel a tingle in my bones, and I don’t know if it’s coming from the house or if it’s female instinct.
But when she gets to the steps, she looks up, and I already know what I’m going to see.
“Fuck!” Riggs snarls as he takes in her split lip and bruised eye. Her eyebrow is bleeding along with her nose, and one of her eyes is almost entirely swollen shut.
It isn’t until I notice the red handprint on the side of Hannah’s face that I feel my power spark and coil inside me. It takes me a while to calm it down enough to be able to speak. “What happened?”
She doesn’t answer, but she doesn’t have to. The answer is all over her face. “I didn’t know where else to go.”
I walk toward her slowly, not wanting to spook her any more than she already is.
“Let me take Hannah for you. I can see that it hurts to carry her. I swear she’s safe with me.”
Her shoulders slump in defeat.
“You’ve done the hard part, Dawn. Let me help you with the rest.”
“Okay.”
I look at Hannah. Her eyes tell me she’s seen far too much for someone her age.
“Your mom’s hurting, little one. Will you let me carry you for a minute so we can get her patched up?”
Hannah studies me, her eyes flashing with understanding before she reaches out her arms. She’s not a toddler. Most kids her age are beyond being carried, and I’m guessing it’s the same for Hannah. But as she clings to me, I know I’d carry her until my legs gave out if she needed me to.
“Can I help you?” Riggs asks Dawn, offering her the crook of his arm.
She looks at me, almost as if asking for permission. I nod and watch as she slips a shaky arm through his. Riggs walks her inside, leaving Hannah and me to follow. He leads her into the sitting room before helping her to sit.
“Hey, Hannah. Want to come to the kitchen and help me get you and your mom a drink and some snacks?”
Hannah looks at Riggs, biting her lip, unsure.
“Do you know why Riggs lives here with me?”
Hannah looks at me and shakes her head.
“When I first came back here, I was scared. Riggs keeps me safe, and he takes his job very seriously. But it’s not just me. He protects everyone in this house. Now you’re here, he’ll protect you too.”
“And my mommy?” Her voice comes out barely above a whisper.
“Absolutely.”
She looks back at Riggs before wriggling to get down. I let her go and watch as she walks over to Riggs and slips her small hand into his much larger one.
He swallows before looking at me and then Dawn. “We won’t be long.”
“Thank you,” Dawn says softly.
I wait for them to leave before I turn back to Dawn. “Are you hurt anywhere other than what I can see?” I know her ribs hurt, but I’m wondering if there is something else.
Tears fill her eyes, but she looks away. “I’m okay.”
I walk over and crouch in front of her. “I can help. You just have to trust me. I know that’s hard, but you have to start with someone. Let that someone be me.”
Her eyes slip closed as she silently starts crying. My heart breaks for this woman. It was hard enough for me to deal with, but I couldn’t imagine trying to survive that kind of life with a child in danger, too.
“He’ll kill me. I don’t know when or how, but I know it will be at his hands. And then what will happen to Hannah?”