Bellamy and Dane emerge from the foyer, and it’s only then I realize she’s wearing a white, silk robe, cinched tight around her waist. She glows, her cheeks rosy and her complexion warm.
Jensen leaves my side, approaching my sister, his lips turned up at the corners. “I knew it.”
Bellamy hangs her head, hiding a knowing smile. Dane steps forward, extending his hand to Jensen. “Pleased to meet you, Jensen. I’ve heard a lot about you. Shall we head inside?”
We follow Dane to a dark den just off the foyer. The two story ceiling rules over mahogany-covered walls, robust leather furnishings, and miles of filled bookcases. My eyes travel the length of Jensen’s muscular backside in an attempt not to stare at the opulence surrounding us.
My sister takes a seat on a sofa next to Dane, clasping her hands in her lap. Dane slips his hand over hers, his penetrating gaze observing us from across the room.
“You’re never going back there,” Dane says. “Part of the agreement I made when I promised to help your sister was that you could never set foot under your father’s roof ever again.”
His words are grave, bringing silence and a finality I wasn’t expecting. The reality of never seeing my family again catches in my throat, pinching my vocal cords and refusing to allow me to speak. Not seeing my father again, or even my mothers, I could accept. But my sisters and brother?
“This is the way it has to be.” Bellamy tilts her head, meeting my gaze with squinted eyes. “We weren’t safe with Dad. Our sisters aren’t safe, either. Someday we’ll go back for them, but for now? You and I have to move on, start a life that doesn’t revolve around the AUB.” She turns to Dane, nuzzling against his arm. “And Dane’s going to help us.”
Jensen sits in silence, though he hasn’t released my hand once. I turn to him, “What do you think?”
He nods to Dane. “I think your lives are about to change for the better.”
I face my sister. “What’s going to happen when they realize you didn’t drop me off in South Dakota?”
Dane smiles. “You won’t need to live off the grid, Waverly, if that’s what you’re worried about. My goal is to help you get on your feet, start your life. Your sister tells me you have a scholarship for the University of Utah?”
“Yes.” I squeeze Jensen’s hand. “A partial scholarship.”
“I’ve discussed this with your sister, and I would be honored to sponsor your education. However, you’ll be safest at a private college. I’m on the board of trustees at Greenley College. I can pull some strings to get you in last minute.”.
“Dane…” My hand lifts to my mouth. “Thank you so much.”
“Attend school, follow your heart. Live your life as you planned. You won’t be untraceable, but you’ll be harder to locate. Your contact information will be protected, at least while you’re at Greenley. And I can’t guarantee your family won’t be able to find you, but you’re an adult. They can’t force you to marry someone now. If they try to take you, it’ll be kidnapping. We’ll ensure your electronics and personal effects are outfitted with tracking devices. My gut feeling is that these won’t be necessary, and it might sound a little extreme, but it’s a safety precaution worth exercising, given the instability of your father’s mental state.”
“It’s not as scary as it sounds,” Bellamy adds. “They’re tiny little microchips. You’ll hardly notice them. We’ll put one in your purse, your car. And of course, you’ll get a phone.”
My pulse pounds in my ears. I feel like I’m in a James Bond movie. I don’t think any of that will be necessary, but knowing someone genuinely cares about my well-being and my safety is an unfamiliar sensation.
“What about the next few weeks? Until school starts?” Jensen clears his throat, sitting up straight. “Where will we live?”
Bellamy waves her hand. “Dane is taking care of everything. You’ll spend your final weeks of summer here, at Golden Oak. That will give us time to get you both on your feet.”
“What about you?” I stare at my sister, who suddenly looks so strong and womanly. She’s not quiet or caged; she’s radiant and confident, like she finally stepped into skin that fits.
“I’ll live here, with Dane,” she says, turning to him. His hand lifts to her face, cupping the side of her jaw. A million question stir inside me, and I count down the moments until I can be alone with Bellamy again.
“Mathilde runs the household,” Dane says. “If there’s anything you need, let her know. She’ll be in shortly to give you a tour of the grounds. Please, make yourself at home.”
***
Jensen showers in the palatial bathroom attached to my royal suite. I’m stretched out across the bed, letting the day’s events sink into my skin with an intoxicating drowsiness. My eyelids flutter before heaviness weighs them down.
Knock, knock.
“Come in,” I call out with every ounce of energy I have left. My lids peel apart just enough to see my sister ambling toward me. A tight black dress squeezes her feminine curves, and her hair is swept back into a polished chignon. Diamonds circle her neck and drip from her ears. I swear I’m dreaming.
“Hey.” She slips a dainty hand on her hip before doing a twirl. Her lips dance into a reluctant smile. “How do I look?”
I sit up, rubbing my eyes. “Who are you?”
“Oh, stop.” She waves her hand, flicking her wrist where more diamonds rest in the form of a tennis bracelet.
“Who is Dane?” I realize I’ve been staying here almost two days now, and perhaps my question is a wee bit late, but it’s better late than never.
She fights a smile, as if the mere mention of his name sends her reeling. “He’s my boss.”
I arch my brows. “Just your boss?”
“It’s complicated.”
“He loves you.” I scoot back on the bed, folding my legs and resting my elbows on my knees. “That part is obvious.”
“It’s not that kind of relationship.” Her smile fades, evaporating the second she heard the L-word. “I don’t expect you to understand. It’s a… consensual, adult relationship.”
All this time I believed my older sister was chaste and true, perfect in every way. And it was all a lie. For that reason, I don’t believe her when she implies there is no love between her and Dane.
“Sometimes we do what we have to do in order to survive, and sometimes we surprise ourselves when we realize how far we’re willing to go to set ourselves free.” There’s a wistful drop in her voice, though a crystalline glint colors her irises. “Because of Dane, we get to live our lives exactly the way we want. No polygamy. No AUB. No sneaking around, hiding from the public. Our lives finally belong to us. This is freedom, Waverly. We’re finally free.”
The shower shuts off in the bathroom. Jensen will be out any minute.
“How’d you know about Jensen and me?” All those months, all that sneaking around—I thought we’d been careful.
Bellamy’s red lips part. She tilts her head. “Because you look at him like he’s the greatest thing in the whole world. Amongst other things…”
My cheeks flush, and I bury my face in my palms. It’s as if my diary has been left open for the whole world to read.
“It’s okay,” she says. “You don’t need to be ashamed anymore. We only get one life. If being with Jensen makes you happy, then that’s what you should do.”
A voice buzzes through speakers built into the walls. Of course this place would have an intercom, and of course it would be so well hidden in the décor, I wouldn’t notice it.
“Mademoiselle Miller?” Mathilde’s French accent cuts through the room. “The car is ready.”
“Where are you headed tonight?” I take in another look at my sister, a perfect vision of glamour and refinement. She has transformed into a stranger, though one I’ll ultimately adore and respect.
She picks up the train of her midnight dress, revealing rhinestones covering the four-inch heels on her feet. “I’m accompanying Dane to a private dinner at an associate’s house.”
Bellamy oozes serenity and elegance, and I can see why Dane would want her on his arm. She steps toward me, slipping her arms around my shoulders and leaning in for a hug. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve hugged my sister in the last ten years. We’ve never been touchy-feely, and we’ve certainly rarely shared deep emotions or private moments like this. My eyes close as I breathe her in, her luxurious perfume every bit of what I expected.