We grab a couple of shovels and get to work.
It’s past one in the morning when we finish and head back to my place. We’re both filthy, covered in dirt and blood. I can feel it cracking where it’s dried on my skin. Silver jumps up from where she’s sitting with Rogue on her lap the second we enter.
She rushes over to me, her eyes widening at the state I’m in. It doesn’t stop her from throwing her arms around me. “Are you okay?”
“I’m not hurt.” I step back so I can look at her face. “I’m so sorry. He never should’ve got to you.” It’s an apology I’ve been desperate to give Isla for years, and now here I am repeating it to another woman I’ve put in danger.
She shakes her head. “It’s not your fault. I shouldn’t have left the window open. I’m okay, just a couple of bruises. Landon said the guy is dead?”
“Yes.”
She hesitates before asking and her soft word trails off. “Where…”
“No one will find him.”
“Who was he?”
“Joss’s brother. We’ll talk about it, but right now we aren’t finished. We have to deal with his vehicle.” I resist touching her face since my hands are covered in bloody mud. “You’re safe. You should try to get some sleep. You won’t be alone here.”
“No.” She looks over at Justus. “Are you hurt?”
He gives her a small smile. “Just a bump on the head. Bleeding stopped a long time ago.”
Landon holds out his hand to me. “Give me the keys youfound on him. I’ll take Justus’s truck and try to find where he parked.”
“It’ll take more than a blow to the head for me to let you drive my truck,” Justus scoffs. “I’m going too.” He looks over at me. “Hose yourself off. I’ll text if we find it.” I’m not going to argue. I don’t want to leave her right now. A rumble of thunder fills the air as I hand over the keys.
“Do you know what you want to do with his ride if we find it?” Landon asks.
“There’s a quarry not far away.” Both of them nod their understanding and head out into the approaching storm.
Once they’re gone, I strip off my shirt and grab a change of clothes to shower. Either Silver or Landon has cleaned the bathroom, and you’d never know anything happened here, but the second I step in, I’m reminded how close I came to losing her. My god, if she hadn’t fought so hard, if I hadn’t heard…it’s like the fire all over again. My stomach churns as I stare at the tub until I hear the shower water start.
Silver walks over to me and unfastens my pants. “Whatever you’re thinking, stop. Let’s just get you cleaned up.”
Her quiet strength astounds me. She was attacked and nearly drowned but she’s worried about me. She undresses after I step into the spray and joins me. My mind is all over the place. I’m so angry about what happened to her, enraged at myself that I didn’t prevent it, and pleased that I made the asshole pay the ultimate price. They’re the same feelings I’ve dealt with since Isla died, and it’s fucking with my head.
Silver soaps up a washcloth. “Stop,” she protests when I try to take it from her. “Let me take care of you for once.” Nowords are able to form on my lips, so I settle for a nod. She begins to wash away the blood on my chest that soaked through my shirt. Red water runs off me, pooling around our feet a little as it drains, but it doesn’t faze her.
The way she looks at me as she washes my chest, my stomach, my shoulders. It tears me to shreds. I never thought I could feel this way again. I believed that part of me died with Isla, but I can’t deny this isn’t about wanting to protect Silver or about sex. It’s so much more. It’s terrifying and it breaks my fucking heart because I have no right. No goddamn right to love another woman after I caused the horrible death of my wife.
Isla was the opposite of Silver. Weaker, softer, sheltered. I can’t imagine the fear she felt that night, the pure terror of it. It haunts me worse than anything.
Neither of us speak as the warm water washes over us and thunder booms overhead. It feels like time stands still to give us the chance to process everything that’s happened. My fingers trace the bruise on her shoulder and another on her hip. She catches my hand and holds it against her breast. Her lips part but she hesitates like she’s looking to find the right words. Before she can, my phone rings, pulling us apart.
I rush out to snatch the phone off the sink and answer Landon’s call. “We found his truck parked behind the general store down the road. The key fob unlocks it, and the vehicle registration has his name. There’s nobody around and we don’t see any cameras or anything.”
“Arthur doesn’t have cameras. The place is closed this time of year. Come get me and?—”
“No, I’ve mapped out two possible back roads to the quarry. One to the south and one to the east. Justus will follow me. We can get it done well before dawn.”
I’m going to owe these guys big. “The road to the east will lead you to a cliff over the water.”
“Perfect.”
Silver stands wrapped in a towel, looking at me anxiously after I hang up. “Everything’s okay. They’re getting rid of his truck and they’ll be back.”
“Do you think it’s over?” she asks.
