I hadn’t thought about that. Duke is the face everyone associates with the family now. He never expressed to me he wanted out. Instead, I thought he was happy to take over.
“I hate to suggest this, but maybe Nelson’s family wants to take over.”
“Over my dead body,” Duke says from the doorway.
I turn and find him leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed.
“Well, it would free both of us,” I say.
He steps into the room. “No, it wouldn’t. They would take over and have us killed because we know too much. This isn’t a business you can walk away from.”
“Ever?” Sam asks.
Duke drops his arms and sighs. “I told you I’m searching for a solution. But it might take time.”
Sam shakes her head and storms out of the room.
“Well, I was going to give you these, but it might be unnecessary now.” He tosses a bag in front of me.
I grab it. Earplugs. The ones the construction guys use. I laugh. “Thanks, I think. But yeah, you better go after her.”
“You know, I do love her. I always have,” he says. Then he focused on my canvas. “Did you paint that?”
“I did.”
“It’s really good. I’m sorry Dad cut off paying for art school. But maybe you can go now. Or hell, maybe you don’t need school and you can just sell your art.”
“Thanks. I’ll think about it.”
They’ve both given me a lot to think about.
“Okay, goodnight.” He leaves, and I turn back to my painting.
An illustrator. I don’t have any idea how I would even pursue such a thing. But I’d like to find out.
I return to the guest room in time to hear Sam moan. I’m not sure what Duke said to her, but it sounds like they’ve made up.
Not wanting to hear any of that again, I reverse course and head back downstairs. Instead of sitting in the living room, I grab a coat and step outside. It’s not too chilly, so I sit in a chair on the porch.
Staring out at the driveway, it’s dark, but there’s a frog somewhere nearby croaking. I take a deep breath and think about my future. What do I want to do? I grab my phone to research illustrators.
The deck creaks behind me, and I jump up and turn around. At first, I don’t see anything, but then a squirrel runs up to a leaf on the porch, then scampers off. My heart is racing as I laugh. I guess I’ll be on edge for a while. Instead of sitting back down, I walk to the railing and stare at the moon, wondering if Logan is looking at it, too. I have no idea where he is or if it is day or night there. Can I get used to this? The not knowing? Then I remember our kiss, and yes, for that, it would be worth it.
I turn my attention back to my phone. The more I read, the more excited I am about pursuing a future that I choose for myself.
Another creak behind me, and I smile, imagining the squirrel. Before I can turn around, a hand is over my mouth, and something hard presses into my side.
“Don’t say a word, or it will be your last,” a deep voice says. “Let’s go.”
How the hell did a man sneak up on me?
He pushes me forward off the deck and down the driveway past where it turns. A car I couldn’t see from the house is parked off to the side. If he gets me into that car, my odds aren’t good. As we get closer, I form a plan to flip him and hope he drops the gun. But then a second man gets out of the car, holding a needle.
“Mmmm!” I yell when I see the needle.
“Relax,” the man says. “This will only make you sleepy.”
Can I flip the first man onto the second man? I jerk and try to gain some sort of control, but it’s useless. I’m panicking and doing it wrong. I try to calm myself, but before I get another chance to fight back, the second man stabs me in the neck.
