She's quiet for a moment, thinking. "I am. Happy, I mean. It's weird, but...I like it here."
Somethin' inside me eases at her words. At least I've done one thing right.
"Then this is where you should be."
We walk the path twice, Mercy pointing out buildings and telling me stories about her classes. Normal things. Safe things. I listen, and nod, and try to memorize every detail of her face.
When Ms. Holbrook appears at the edge of the quad, I know our time is up.
"Gotta go," Mercy says, glancing at her advisor. "Will you be there on Saturday, then? At home?"
Home. Which isn’t the trailer. It’s the Ashby Ranch. "I'll try." Another lie. I don't know where I'll be on Saturday. Don't know if I'll be anywhere at all.
She hugs me quickly, fiercely, then pulls back. "Tell Savannah I said hi."
"I will."
I watch her run back to Ms. Holbrook, back to her new life. She turns once to wave, and I raise my hand in response.
The walk back to the bike is longer somehow. More eyes on me. More whispers. I don't care. All that matters is that Mercy is safe. Happy. Better off without me.
I swing my leg over the Dyna and fire it up.
The clock in my head is tickin'.
Hours slipping away, bringing me closer to midnight.
Closer to Savannah.
Closer to whatever end Brick has planned for me, too.
CHAPTER 5
Eleven twenty-five.
I check my watch again, though I know exactly what time it is. I've been watching the minutes tick by since dinner ended, since Cash finally retreated to his study, since I locked my bedroom door and changed.
Five minutes. That's all that's left before I need to be gone.
Marcus's voice still echoes in my head. His certainty. His casual ownership. The way he said, "We both know how this ends, Savannah," like my life was already written and I just hadn't accepted the final chapter yet.
Fuck him.
I smooth down the white summer dress—shorter than I'd normally wear around the ranch, thin enough to show shadows of what's underneath. It's not about looking pretty. It's about access. Legion's hands finding my skin as quickly as possible. The dress coming off easily.
It's always about sex with him. Especially now. We don't talk anymore—not really. Not since he left without saying goodbye.Not since I slapped him and he pushed me against the wall, both of us panting with rage that turned into something else entirely.
I don't care. I’ll take Legion Kane any way I can get him. I just need him inside me. Need to feel something that isn't this crushing weight of loss and expectations.
I open my bedroom door, listening for any movement in the house. Nothing. Cash sleeps like the dead after his nightly bourbon. Wyatt's probably passed out in some corner. The staff all retire to their quarters by ten.
But this is just habit. There's no sneaking required. Not anymore.
Marcus literally gave me permission to sneak out and fuck Legion.
Not that I need it.
The night air hits my skin as I step outside, still warm from the day's heat. I don't bother with the side entrance to the barn—I use the main doors, flipping on lights as I go. Cassia looks up from her stall, ears pricked forward.
