Her, biting her nails when I entered the room.

Her, sitting next to my mother at every basketball game in high school.

Her, refusing to even look in my direction when I hung out with a girl.

And me, barely able to hold back the smile at the little looks she stole and how nervous she was when I was close.

She was always there, and it was always us.

Trevor made me want to resent it, but it was seeing her with Kai last night that made me feel it. Nothing could shake us. She was mine, and I was hers, and it would never break.

I inhaled a deep breath, finally feeling my stomach unknot. “Did they hurt you in any other way?” I asked.

She pulled back, shaking her head. “No.”

“Damon’s still out there.”

“Damon’s gone,” she stated, so sure.

She took the hem of my wet shirt and pulled it up, over my head.

“How are we going to tell your parents about this?” she said, worry written all over her face. “About Trevor?”

“I’ll handle it,” I told her, pulling her shirt off as well. “I don’t want you to worry about anything.”

And I scooped her up, wrapping her legs around me and sitting on the sink edge, just holding her close.

She hovered her lips over mine, sinking her body into me like she was about to melt. “You really love me?”

I closed my eyes, breathing her in. “I love you so much,” I whispered, tightening my hold on her. “This is where I live.”

Present

WALKING INTO THE CRIST HOME, I gave Edward a small smile as he took my coat and then helped my mother with hers.

She looked so beautiful.

It had been three weeks since she’d returned from the facility in California, and although every day was like a ticking time bomb, I grew more and more relaxed as the days passed that she wouldn’t relapse.

Her A-line black dress hugged her body that no longer looked so frail, and the color in her cheeks made her seem ten years younger. She was looking more and more like the mother from my childhood every day.

I wore an ivory-colored dress that fell to the tops of my knees, and my mother had politely mentioned that it might be too tight for Thanksgiving dinner. I didn’t hesitate to let her know that Michael liked looking at my body, and I liked him looking, so there.

She blushed, and I laughed.

“Rika,” I heard Mrs. Crist call.

I looked up to see Michael’s mother strolling through the foyer, decked out and looking elegant and as usual.

“Darling, you look wonderful.” She embraced me, giving me a quick peck on the cheek.

Then she turned to my mom. “Christiane,” she said, hugging her. “Please come and stay with me. Since your house won’t be ready until next summer, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t be here.”

My mother pulled back and smiled. “I would love to, but right now, I’m enjoying the city so much.”

No one except Michael, Kai, Will, and me knew the real cause of the fire, and since the restoration on our house here had slowed down due to the falling temperatures, I’d brought my mother to Meridian City with me. I’d offered her the spare room in my apartment, but she wanted to give Michael and me our privacy, opting for a hotel instead.

I’d stayed with her there for a couple of weeks—to make sure she was okay—but I slowly relaxed when she started spending her time at the gym, getting her health back, and volunteering at a shelter to keep busy and meet some new people. She was eating well, sleeping even better, and surprisingly, in no hurry to return to Thunder Bay.

Eventually, though, I gave her some space and took myself back to Delcour. Much to Michael’s relief.

Not that he didn’t want me around her, but he still got antsy about my safety. He said it had to do with Damon’s unknown whereabouts, but I knew it was something else.

Since the night at the yacht over a month ago, he’d woken up in the middle of the night a few times sweating and breathing hard. He’d had nightmares about the water. About me being pulled down and him grabbing for my hand just like he had that night.

Only in his nightmares he didn’t find me. I was lost.

“Mrs. Crist, I can’t believe how busy you’ve been.” I said, looking around, amazed at the newly redecorated sitting room and all of the holiday décor splashed around the house. Garlands and wreaths hung from the walls and stairs, and I looked up, seeing Michael appear at the top of the stairs. He descended in his pressed black suit with the smallest smile curling his lips. His eyes zoned in on me, and I inhaled a deep breath, feeling my stomach flip like always.

“Well,” Mrs. Crist said, sounding sad. “I needed to stay busy.”

I tore my eyes away from Michael and met his mother’s glossy eyes that welled with tears.

Guilt washed over me. “I’m so sorry.”

Trevor was dangerous, more so than Damon because Trevor hid it so well, but I couldn’t imagine losing a child. Even one like that.

I hoped I never had to feel what she did.

But she just shook her head at me, sniffling. “Please don’t say that. Who my son was wasn’t your fault, and you’re both safe,” she said, and then looking to Michael. “I wouldn’t trade that.”

Michael stared down at her, a look of regret crossing his face.

Other than me, I was pretty sure his mother was the only woman he loved. And while his first instinct had been to protect me, his second had been to protect her. After Trevor had drowned, Will tried to talk Michael into dumping him into the ocean on the way back, so Michael wouldn’t have to deal with telling his parents that he’d killed his brother.

Michael wouldn’t even listen. He couldn’t leave his mother’s son out there. At the very least, he had to bring a body back to her, and he knew he couldn’t look at her day in and day out and lie to her.

So after we’d brought the yacht into port, we’d called the police and told them everything. How Trevor took me, lured Michael and his friends there, and nearly killed Will and me.

It was devastating, and while Mrs. Crist was thankful we were okay, she would hurt for a long time.

Mr. Crist, on the other hand, seemed more disappointed than grief-stricken. He only had one son now, and instead of the contempt with which he usually treated Michael, he began getting very involved in his life, wasting no time in shifting the hopes he had for Trevor onto Michael.

Good thing for Michael he had plenty of practice standing up to his father.

My mother and Mrs. Crist walked toward the kitchen, and Michael’s father approached, carrying a drink in his hand with a cigar between his fingers.

“I want to sit down today. We’ve got things to discuss.”

He spoke to Michael but glanced to me, his indication clear. Since I wouldn’t be marrying Trevor, his plans now included Michael.

“Things to discuss,” Michael mused, taking my hand. “You mean my future and Rika’s money? Because it’s too late. I broke the trust. Everything is in her name now.”

“You did what?” his father growled.

I grinned, letting Michael lead me away. “I’d love to sit down and discuss my future next time you’re in town,” I told Mr. Crist, letting him know I was the one in charge of my family’s business now.

There were several pieces of real estate he and my father co-owned, so I had no choice but to work with him, but I wasn’t a pawn for men to marry and govern. Now he knew.

Michael and I walked into the dining room, seeing Will and Kai standing around the table, talking with drinks in hand while their parents and several others congregated in small groups around the room.

Servers flitted in and out, carrying trays of hors d’oeuvres and refilling champagne glasses.

Kai met us halfway, closely followed by Will.