He wanted to tell her more. Nico wanted to tell Autumn Scarlett was not her sister.
Instead, Nico reached over and took one of her hands. “Are you afraid you’re just like her, Autumn?”
She closed her eyes, and he heard the breath she breathed out. “I helped him, Nico. Elijah's father. I helped him harm those girls. I tried to save myself. Not them.”
“You were trying to survive, Autumn. Never punish yourself for that.” He turned his blinker on and moved to the right for the exit.
“But I do.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “That's why I have a room at Cat Tails. It’s not for pleasure.”
“Cosa?” The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. “What?”
“Someone helps me,” she mumbled. “Actually, Hererra helps, or rather, helped me. Not that he enjoyed it.”
“You had a relationship with him at one point?” He tried not to let the jealousy eat at him.
“Yes, but it didn’t last long.” She shrugged a shoulder, looking forward again. “I didn’t allow it to last long.”
“Why?” They passed familiar streets and cobblestone driveways, a package store, firehouse, police station, and post office all next to each other.
“Hererra wanted me to fall in love with the idea of love. He believed he was in love with me.”
“He cares about you.” He turned to her again as they waited at a stoplight. “And he despises me because I’m with you.”
Autumn rolled her eyes. “You two and your pissing contest.”
Nico grinned back at her. “Whatever you want to call it.” The light turned green. “Back to your self-inflicted punishment. How did he help you?”
“I had him hit me with a cat-o’-nine tail, a special type of flogger.”
He knew what that was. He’d been to Navarro’s club plenty of times to see bondage demonstrations. “The marks on your back.”
Autumn nodded, “Yes.” She looked at him again. “You saw them this morning.”
“I wondered.” he looked in her direction, then back at the road. “And I wanted to kill whoever put those ugly scars on your back.”
“He’s dead. I killed him.”
Nico knew she was referring to her kidnapper. “And do you punish yourself for that as well?”
Another shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe. I’m still responsible—”
“No, he was a sick man, Autumn.” They pulled onto a gravel road, “And I’m going to make sure you don’t blame yourself anymore.”
“How?” There was her suspicious look again.
Nico’s lips curved. “You’ll see.”
Autumn shook her head as she stared out her window.
Nico watched the apple orchard pass on both sides of the road. Up ahead, the fortress almost loomed above the trees.
It was like looking at a castle amid a forest, except for the cast-iron fence and guards that stood as sentries. The only thing missing was a drawbridge and moat.
“Where exactly are we going?”
Nico pressed his lips together and came to a stop before the guards. “To the safest place you will ever be.”
“Nico.”
