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“Only she knows what they did. But her past has haunted her for a long time, and their reappearance can only remind her of the torment he put her through.”
I turn to find both men’s eyes burning with an intensity fueled by a volatile mix of love and fury. My mind becomes a turbulent sea of emotions as I envision confronting the bastard, contemplating the physical toll I yearn to inflict.
"He needs to know what it feels like to be powerless and terrified," I muse, and the other two flicker their eyes at me in agreement.
I want to unleash the full force of my anger and become the avenging force against the threat that looms over Eden. She may not have openly discussed her feelings with me as she has with the other two, but my feelings for her are stronger than I have ever felt for any woman.
The profound length I would go for Eden is unmatchable by anything I would ever do for anyone. My true test lies in whether I can channel my anger into a protective strength rather than succumb to the destructive allure of revenge.
As soon as Eden pulls her truck to a stop through the gates of her property, a massive dust cloud kicks up around them, and I see her run out, but Callum manages to grab her and wrap his arms around her to prevent her from blindly running inside the house.
Asher and I jump out of the SUV and join them.
“Callum, let me the fuck go!” she screams, trying to escape from his tight grip.
“Siren, it might be a trap. Let someone go inside first,” my brother urges her, his voice remaining solid and firm.
“Do you have security on?” I ask, knowing that she probably does.
Calming down, she tells me the code for the lock on the door, saying it’s all connected to the same security system. Callum lets go of her as she stops the thrashing and agitated behavior.
“There’s no alarm because who the fuck would hear it. It just alerts me and Catalina on our phone apps.”
“Then send her a message that you’re here so she doesn’t panic,” Jagger says, punching in the long code she quotes him.
“Should fire the old bag,” My brother blurts out quietly, and I give him a stare to shut his trap. We’ve spoken about this. It’s up to Eden, but I don’t trust the old lady anywhere near anything I consume. I’ve already asked Rick to change the code on the front door to my property. Catalina can ring the bell from now on.
As the front door lock clicks open, we hear a buzzing noise coming from a distance, breaking the profound silence of the desert, and we all turn towards the helicopter descending from the vast azure sky onto the arid landscape.
Dust swirls in the air as it lowers, the pilot adjusting its position, and the thud of the landing gear meeting the desert floor reverberates through the air.
We watch our man Rick running towards us, the dust settling around him, revealing the giant machine that seems out of place on the rugged terrain.
“Update me,” he says, reaching us, but before we can inform him, a dog’s bark emerges, breaking through the air.
The sound, muffled by the distance, carries a certain distressed quality – a blend of longing and alertness echoing through the vast empty space.
“Storm!” Eden exclaims, and we all look around because it’s not coming from the property.
Abruptly, Rick removes the gun from his holster and charges towards the side of the house, and we follow him in pursuit.
“Stay here!” he warns as we approach the trailer parked on the empty plot. I grab hold of Eden’s wrist. Her pulse is racing like crazy, and I can only imagine the anxiety she suffers.
Jagger and Callum follow Rick as backup, and as soon as the door to the secondary home is opened, Storm jumps out. He catches sight of Eden; a surge of recognition and joy transforms his demeanor. His ears perk up, and a flicker of disbelief lights up in his old, weary eyes, and then, in an instant, his whole body reacts. His tail whips through the air and bounds towards her. I let go of her, and upon reaching her, Storm crashes into her, his massive frame almost dwarfing her as he jumps up for an embrace.
Eden meets him with equal warmth, showering him with soothing words and gentle caresses, understanding the magnitude of his emotions.
My attention goes to the other three who ventured inside the trailer and now come out empty-handed and poker-faced. Leaving Eden with Asher, I approach the others.
“There’s no security in the trailer, which is why they left the dog here,” Callum explains.
“There’s evidence the animal was left with food and water. But it's been a few days, so there’s no telling how much.”
“She gives him measured food as he tends to overeat. So he may have eaten all the contents in one go.” I remember observing Eden, and my interest only extended to watching her bend over to retrieve the dog bowls while wearing nothing but an oversized T-shirt.
I slowly lick my lips with that thought, and my brother smacks at the back of my head.
“What the f—”
