“Did the Murphy family give you any trouble today?”
Elissa forced a stiff smile, not even bothering to pick up her phone and
reply.
She’d known the answer the moment she called from the old manor’s
gates: Frank wasn’ting.
Yet seeing his message still left her disappointed.
He knew–of course he knew–that if he didn’t show up, the Murphys would make things hard for her.
But in the end, he still hadn’te.
A sudden gust of night wind whipped up, driving icy snow into her lungs with every breath. Even breathing hurt.
She suppressed her emotions and bent down to retrieve her phone, but before she could, a shadow fell across her. Someone moved faster than she did, snatching up the phone–and at the same time, scooping her up
around the waist.
Without warning, she found herself slung over a broad shoulder.
Her captor strode away with steady, unhurried steps–quick, but unyielding.
“Rowan!”
The voice, the <i>scent</i>, the touch–Elissa didn’t even need to look to recognize him. “Put me down!”
He gave a low, humorless chuckle. “Not calling me Mr. Murphy anymore?” Elissa choked on her words. “Mr. Murphy, would you please put me
down?”
His voice was cold as steel. “Haven’t done enough kneeling for them yet?<b>” </b>
12:14
She had–she’d knelt long enough. But she knew Matriarch Paige Murphy would only find a way to make her pay it back twice over.
Butler Murphy hurried after, wringing his hands. “Sir, <i>you </i>can leave if you wish, but Miss Elissa can’t.”
Rowan didn’t slow, didn’t even look over. “Go back inside and ask her whose name is on Elissa’s registration.”
His tone was sharp, every word a warning. “And if anyone else tries to humiliate me tonight, I swear, the next one tossed into the Antic to feed the sharks will be te.”
The mention of registration jogged Elissa’s memory.
Years ago, when Rowan had taken her in, he’d added her name to his household record. When she’d married a few years back and wanted to change it, Rowan hadn’t even bothered to answer her calls–couldn’t be bothered to look for the paperwork.
Elissa wasn’t exactly the patient type. After a few rounds of arguing, the whole thing had simply been left unresolved.
He never brought it up again, and she’d nearly forgotten that, in the eyes of thew, her records were still tied to his.
!
Butler Murphy went back inside and ryed Rowan’s words
word–for–word.
te hadn’t expected to be dragged into this mess at all. Suddenly uneasy, he turned to Matriarch Paige Murphy. “Grandma, didn’t Rowan say <i>he </i>didn’t care what happened to Elissa anymore? So why’s he-”
She cut him off with a scornfulugh. “You really think you can guess what’s going <i>on </i>in Rowan’s head?”
Her eyes narrowed, voice dripping with disdain. “With his status now, he can decide to protect that girl on a whim–what’s so strange about that?”
te protested, “But shouldn’t he show you some respect, at least-?”
<b>2/4 </b>
12
“Do you even know who really runs Vistapeak City now?” she snapped.
“Of course, it’s still the Shaw family,” te replied, unconcerned.
Matriarch Paige’s tone turned icy. “It’s Rowan’s city now–<i>not </i>the Shaws‘.”
She wanted to see just how long Rowan could keep up this arrogant act.
But she shot te a warning re. “Don’t be stupid enough <i>to </i>go after that girl again. If you end up in Rowan’s crosshairs, he’ll make <i>you </i>pay–one way or another.”
te grumbled, “So what am I supposed to do? She humiliated me in front of everyone-”
Matriarch Paige sneered, her face like stone. “Rowan’s never been the loyal type. You think he’ll protect her forever? Sooner orter, he’ll drop her–just like he’s done before. When that happens, you’ll have your chance.”
Outside, a ck Bentley pulled up to the old manor’s gates.
Snow was falling hard.
Rowan carried Elissa toward the car in long, decisive strides. Ian followed close behind, holding a ck umbre, though Rowan’s broad shoulders were already dusted with snow.
Elissa, by contrast, was untouched.
The driver hurried out and opened the door. “Sir, Miss.”
The world spun as Rowan finally set her down, and Elissa felt as dizzy as if she’d drained a bottle of wine in one go.
She steadied herself, then nodded in greeting. “te.”
Rowan’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. His voice was clipped. “Get in the
car.”
“I can call a cab myself-”
She’d barely finished the sentence when a sleek, limited edition Maybach
glided up beside them,ing to a smooth stop.
Frank stepped out, opened an umbre, and walked over with his usual quietposure. He nodded politely to Rowan, then turned to Elissa, his
tone as calm as ever.
“Elissa, I’m here to take you home.”