just happy to see you every day, even if you hated me.”
I wince, a vicious pain penetrating my heart. It’s the kind of pain that only Rose has ever spiked. And my father when he died. And now my mother. I look down to the floor, my head tangled.
“I love Rose,” Esther goes on. “She’s like me in so many ways. A survivor.” I look up as she backs away. “She deserves to be loved.” And then she turns and disappears into the kitchen, leaving behind the lingering, hidden meaning of her final statement. If Rose deserves to be loved, then my mother does too. The pain in my chest doubles, and I reach for my pec, pushing my clenched fist into it. If I could, I’d bring Ernie back to life, just so I could fucking kill him again. This time even more slowly. Painfully. And with more satisfaction. I can’t even comprehend the level of fear Ernie instilled into Esther for her to remain quiet all this time. It’s the same level of fear he depended on with Rose to keep her mouth shut. To remain loyal to Nox. To not share her dirty past. Or was he depending on her shame? Either way, he underestimated her. He underestimated me. And he underestimated our trust.
Fuck, I need Pops here to explain this madness.
“Hey, you okay?”
I look up and find Brad with a towel draped around his neck, his face wet. I cough my throat clear, looking back to the kitchen doorway. “Yeah,” I murmur, my mind spinning. I’m going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine. Returning my attention to Brad, I brace myself for the shock I’m about to encounter. “I asked Rose to marry me.”
He’s quiet for a second, though his eyes are wide. And then he starts laughing. “What?”
“You heard.” I stalk past him, heading for the gym. I need to work off some of this lingering anger. Ernie? My mother? My girl? I blow out my cheeks, the shock growing.
Brad is quickly on my heels. “I think I heard.”
“You heard,” I confirm. “I want out. I want to wake up in the morning and not wonder who’s going to try to kill me today.”
“That’s never going to happen.” Brad laughs again. “Not while you have enemies.”
I stop, forcing Brad to stop too. He looks at me, waiting. “I’m working on it,” I answer, and keep moving, leaving Brad with a look of confusion and worry all over his face.
He should be worried.
I am too.
Chapter 26
ROSE
* * *
After I get out of the shower, I find Danny on the terrace. He’s straddling a chair, his forearms resting on the back support. He’s deep in thought, gazing out across the gardens. I watch him for a time, unable to admire his sweaty form in his gym clothes, too worried about what could be running through his mind. Eventually, he notices he’s not alone. Looks up at me. Smiles. But it doesn’t light up his eyes. He pushes his hands into the back rest and raises, swinging his leg over the seat before tucking it back under the table.
He approaches me. Drops a soft kiss on my cheek. Then heads for the bathroom, pulling his black muscle vest off as he goes. Something’s . . . off. He’s quiet. Pensive and thoughtful. Part of me wants to ask what’s changed his mood so dramatically. A bigger part of me doesn’t. Trust him. That’s what he said. And I do.
I listen to him shower as I dress, pulling on some thin gray sweatpants and my British sweater. As I look in the mirror, I can’t help but think that the huge rock on my finger doesn’t quite match the comfy clothes. I hold my hand up and inspect my ring. I could stare at it forever. Not only because it’s beautiful, but because I can’t believe I have a ring on that finger. And Danny Black gave it to me. But if there is a man in this world who I should be with forever, it’s him.
“Still like it?”
I whirl around, finding Danny’s rubbing a towel over his hair, his shoulder resting on the doorjamb. There’s not a scrap of material covering any other part of him, and I fight to stop my eyes indulging in the vast beauty of his naked form. I have the rest of my life to do that. “What’s not to like?”
He smiles and approaches, dropping a light kiss on my