Blade didn’t want to stop next to the road. He didn’t think anybody was going to come looking for them, but still, it was better to be careful.
“We should find some cover from the road,” Blade suggested as they continued to trot. “Just to be safe.”
It took a while before they came across a group of boulders. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do for a little while. They weren’t going to stay long, after all. The idea was simply to stretch their legs, eat something, and then get going again.
Blade had an ulterior motive for wanting to stop, though. He was worried about Dakota. Daniel was her first kill, and he knew firsthand the emotions that went with it.
“How are you feeling?” he asked once they had dismounted Africa and Riot.
Dakota hesitated for a second, her lips pursed the way they always did when she was thinking hard about something. “I’m all right, I think,” she finally replied. “I mean, knowing I killed a man feels strange—overwhelming, even—but at the same time, it feels right because he was a cruel and evil man.”
“It’s a confusing feeling,” Blade agreed. “But it will fade over time and get easier to process.”
Dakota let out a deep breath. “I’m going to take your word on that.”
Stepping forward, Blade enveloped her in a hug. “I promise it will.”
Dakota hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. The feel of her hands on his skin sent a shiver down his spine, and for a moment, he froze. They had hugged many times during their lives, but nothing like that had ever happened before.
***
Austin paced up and down, trying to calm himself so that he could think. Something was very wrong, and he had to figure out what was going on. Austin had many connections throughout the country, and he and Sheriff McCalahan had a good understanding. Austin gave him an agreed-upon sum of money every month, and in return, Sheriff McCalahan informed him whenever he heard of anything that might be of interest to him. The sheriff wasn’t a criminal, but he didn’t mind looking the other way for the right amount of money.
Earlier that day, Sheriff McCalahan had informed him of some murders that had taken place in Idaho, Montana, and South Dakota. Four of his best and most trusted men had been targeted and murdered. Three of the murders had witnesses who stated that it was two masked men who had done it. Nobody had witnessed Liam’s murder, but it was safe to assume it was the same men.
Austin wasn’t someone who frightened easily, but he was feeling uneasy. The fact that there were people out there targeting his men wasn’t good at all. They had all been keeping a low profile and cleaning up after themselves. Whoever these masked men were, they clearly knew something, and if theyknew who his men were, then they had to know who he was, too.
***
Jace watched Millie carefully as he sat down across from her. Weeks had passed since the first time he had visited her alone, and it felt like she was becoming more comfortable around him. Of course, there was no way for him to really know, but she didn’t look as frightened when he was there anymore.
For the first while, he simply kept his distance while talking to her. At first, it had felt strange to be talking to somebody who couldn’t reply, and on top of that, she had basically ignored him. Obviously, she still didn’t talk, but at least now she was interacting with him a little.
Sometimes she smiled when he arrived or reacted to something she thought was funny. Other times, she would use hand signals to communicate. Jace knew that Millie and Blade had their own made-up sign language, which was interesting and rather impressive. The signs Millie used with him were pretty simple, and sometimes he still didn’t understand what she was trying to say.
Overall, things were going well, or at least it felt that way to him. He wanted Millie to like him and to feel comfortable around him, but he couldn’t rush her. They were making progress, and that was all that mattered.
“What do you have for lunch today?” Jace asked and waited for her to show him.
Since they had eaten lunch together the first time, Jace had been visiting her at the same time each day. He hadn’t said anything, but Millie had quickly realized what he was doing and had started to wait for him before eating.
Millie opened her basket and retrieved a small bowl wrapped in brown paper. She opened it and showed it to Jace. It was some sort of stew. “Looks delicious,” he told her. “Did you make it?” He knew the answer but was always trying to find easy ways for her to interact with him.
Millie nodded and then rolled her eyes. That was her way of showing him that he was asking or saying something dumb. The smile that followed reassured him that she wasn’t angry.
“I have some leftovers today too,” he told her, opening his lunch. He had made macaroni and cheese the previous night and kept some for lunch.
Millie leaned forward to see the contents of the plate he was showing her. She gave him an approving nod and then sat back and started eating. When she was done, she took out another parcel from her basket and unwrapped it. Inside were two fruit pies.
She gently scooped up one and held it out to him. Jace’s heart skipped a beat. Millie had baked a pie for him. Slowly, he reached out his hand and took it from her. “Thank you.”He wanted to say so much more. In fact, he wanted to jump up and down from excitement, but he managed to contain himself. Acting like an overeager child wasn’t going to impress her.
Millie waved her hand in a forward motion. It was her signal for when she wanted him to continue telling her something. This time, he assumed that it meant she wanted him to taste the pie. Not wanting to keep her waiting, Jace bit into it. The crust was crispy, and the inside was an explosion of fruity goodness.
“This is amazing,” he stated after taking another bite.
Millie’s face lit up, and she rewarded him with the biggest smile he had ever seen. He was the reason for her smile. He had made her feel happy. That knowledge somehow meant more to him than anything else he had ever achieved.
Chapter 21
