“Have you thought about it much?”
She nods and looks away, as if there will be too much truth in her eyes to hide it from me.
She wants to escape.
“Your father,” I say carefully. “He seems to have some…modern amenities.”
“Yes,” she says. “He wants to bring modern values to the town. Some people think he’s a hero because he went againstTalon’s orders, breached the boundaries, and went to the towns for supplies.”
“Oh,” I answer, part of the picture becoming crystal clear. “So, does he say it’s safe to leave?”
“Uh-uh.” Sara shakes her head. “The opposite. He talks about how horribly dangerous it is and that he barely made it back alive. The way he describes it, there’s a set path, and he had to learn it very carefully to survive it. He’s told everyone he’s happy to take on the risk himself, if it helps them.”
That slimy son of a bitch!
“Sounds like quite a guy,” I mutter.
Sara doesn’t say anything, and I’m tempted to tell her Jackson’s story is utter bullshit.
“It’s one of the reasons I never left,” she says absently. “If he can barely make it, what chance would I have?”
Sudden fear rises in me, the knowledge that if she thought it was safe to leave, she might run away.
And I’m an absolute jerk for holding back and controlling her the same way her father does, but I have no choice. I can’t lose her.
“I’m sorry,” she says, wiping her cheeks to cover her tears. “I shouldn’t be talking about that.”
“It’s okay,” I answer. “I’m here to learn everything I can about the pack—and you.”
She smiles, but it’s small and tense.
“I think we should get some rest,” I say, standing up. She seems to jump in her chair, looking up at me with wide eyes.
“Don’t worry,” I say gently. “I’ll stay on the couch.”
As I leave the room, she watches me go, as if she expects me to take the words back and turn to attack her at any moment.
This poor woman. What has she suffered to make her like this?
Even though my resolve was strong before, I’m now even more determined to bring liberation to this town—and to Sara.
Chapter 8 - Sara
When Shawn leaves the room, emptiness seems to echo around me, as if the lack of him has actually made me feel lonely.
I’ve been isolated my whole life, but this is the first time I’ve felt truly alone.
I don’t want to examine the feeling too closely, so I just put our dishes in the sink and go up to the bedroom. Again, I’m struck by a feeling of emptiness, and I have to try hard to push it away.
What, do you want to rush down the stairs and throw yourself into his arms?
Grudgingly, I have to admit there’s a part of me that wants to be close to him. Talking to him felt good, like there was someone on my side, and I haven’t felt that way for a long time.
I didn’t go to see Talon and Jess because I thought Father might use me against them, and now I think that’s exactly what he did, anyway.
I slowly pull off the beautiful dress, hanging it up with Jess’s clothes. Even though I don’t trust the other women, it was still nice of them to think of me and bring me a beautiful gift.
I feel like I could enjoy getting to know them…except that Alisha and Grace were involved in the attack.
