“Family.”She glanced at him.“My sister saved my life.I know she told you about our mother.She was so broken.And tried everything to fill that broken place.Romance.Alcohol.Drugs.She desperately wanted to be loved, and she did everything she thought she could to find it.It was a hard life for her, and for us.We didn’t always have money, so Emberly started to steal from the men our mom brought home to buy us food.Usually they didn’t notice.And then one morning she got caught.”
His entire body tightened.
“She’d already left, but this guy—he was some guy my mother had brought home—he was furious.And he thought I took the money.I was about nine.And he came after me.”
He stopped walking, turned to her, heat in his chest.
“I was under my bed screaming, and Emberly just showed up, carrying a frying pan from the stove.She hit him with it.”
Nimue stared out into the ocean, and he could see the aftermath in her eyes, the way they filled.“She nearly died.My mom somehow stopped him from beating her to death, but...I realized that Emberly would do anything—anything—for someone she loved.It scared me.That’s when I decided that I’d have her back.No matter what she did.”She looked at him.“But Emberly has never, not once, allowed a man in her life.She’s so afraid of ending up like our mother—broken, betrayed, desperate—she’s never considered...Well, like I said, she’s always been a Swan.And now...you’re here.”
He was here.
And now, leaving.
“I got a call from Declan.He wants me in New York for some exhibition for the upcoming UN General Assembly.”
She shoved her hands into her pockets.“And you’re trying to figure out...?”
“I don’t want her to go.”
“And you’re afraid of...?”
He looked at her.“I’m afraid of the same thing you are.Her getting in over her head.”
“No, you’re afraid of losing her.”
His mouth tightened.
“It’s okay, Steinbeck.I love her too.”
Oh.But yes, the words felt right as they washed over him.And weirdly, Jack’s words stirred inside him.“Don’t pursue this woman with the hope that she’s going to give you some sort of purpose.Only God can do that.”
Maybe purpose wasn’t about doing but aboutbeing.
“I have one request to make,” Nim said.
“Yeah?”
“Don’t hurt her.Or I promise, I’ll hack into your life and leave you with nothing.”She winked, then turned and headed back up the beach.
He didn’t for a moment think she was kidding.
Steinbeck caught up with her at the top of the stairs, on the narrow beach road to her house.
The scent of burning hung in the air.
She must have seen the trail of smoke filtering into the sky at the same time he did, because she picked up her pace.Then started to run.
No,no?—
The smoke poured from the kitchen window of Nimue’s cute cottage beach house.
“Emberly!”Nimue shouted as Stein passed her.Already sirens shrieked through the air, so maybe a neighbor had called, but flames burst from the window.
“Emberly!”He pushed through the gate, onto the porch.Took a breath, reached for the door.
“Stop!”Emberly barreled up, already outside, and grabbed his arm.She wore pajama shorts and a T-shirt, her hair tousled, her eyes wide.
