Page 104 of Connor's Claim

Cold slunk through my veins.

“That’s it, is it? Back to your sluts with no concern for me. After all I did for ye and you’re walking away when I’m in danger.”

For fuck’s sake. I twisted around. “I’m heading back to Everly and to my job. The life that I made with no thanks to ye.”

She stared at me. “Everly Makepeace? Tell me you’re not with her. The snooty little cow is your stepsister. That’s disgusting.”

Frustration tossed aside any lingering familial concern I might’ve had. “How is any part of it disgusting? We’re not related. Ye just had the poor judgement to shack up with her psychopath father.”

“I put a roof over your head,” she yelled back. “I spread my legs for him so we didn’t starve. How was I supposed to know he was handy with his fists?”

By exercising better control of herself. By getting to know someone before she leapt into bed with them. Saying any of this made no difference now.

“I forgive you for being a shite mother.” I hovered over Mick’s name, ready to dial back. “I can’t be sorry for your marriage because it meant I met Everly and she’s the greatest person who ever breathed.”

My mother sneered. “It amazes me that girl made it to adulthood. Rumour has it her father did away with her ma. Didn’t ye wonder why I packed a bag and was ready to run?”

My stomach dropped. “You’re full of it.”

“Only saying what I heard. It was enough to send me out the door.”

All of which she did without passing on the warning to Everly or me. That day had been the worst of my life. For weeks, I’dplanned our exit, the girl I’d loved and me. Ma barely spoke to me back then, nothing had changed there, but I’d discovered her gathering her things while her husband’s back was turned. I’d assumed the energy I felt was catching, a universal urge to end the situation, but no, she’d been thinking about herself yet again.

Storming from her home, I slammed the door, leaving her with zero intention of ever coming back.

I dialled the last called number. Mick answered immediately.

“We’re in pursuit. Fuck, I’m so fucking sorry. We’ll get her back. Arran’s already on his way to intercept.”

That ice in my veins stabbed into me. “What are ye talking about?”

I knew Everly had gone to her office. Arran had given me the heads-up then Mick had kept me posted, and though I’d hated it, I’d already been close to my destination here and too far away to intervene.

I’d watched her tracker.

Before I’d gone into my mother’s house, I’d had the text from him saying they were about to leave. She’d done her thing and all was good.

Mick delivered the killing blow. “Her father took her.”

My boots drummed the path. I threw myself into my car and floored the accelerator.

It would take me a goddamned hour to drive back to Deadwater. The rest of the day had been planned out to a T. We’d intended to make the mayor sweat, wondering why his summons had failed. I’d been out for blood with choices over whose would be spilled.

But now, I was racing against the clock to save Everly.

Chapter 36

Everly

My childhood bedroom had once been my sanctuary. Here, I’d been able to hide. To lock the door and dive under the covers, and for the most part, I’d been safe.

Not today.

It was a jail cell I couldn’t escape.

Music played, my attempt to distract myself. The random choice, Taylor Swift’s ‘I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)’, could’ve made me laugh, but that wasn’t happening.

I trailed over the trinkets. Scarves and formal dresses. The jewellery box my father had bought me. Even if I could leave, there was little I’d take. It could crumble into dust for all I cared.