When she and Joe arrived at the door, Rick answered through an intercom with a terse, “It’s open. We’re in the kitchen.”

With no idea what to expect, and feeling more awkward than she had at her first school dance over twenty years ago, Leigh walked into Rick’s monstrous home. Accustomed to disappointment and afraid of being crushed by some unforeseen catastrophe, she’d refused to hope.

They walked through the silent, imposing home until they stumbled onto a kitchen that would make any Southern hostess swoon with envy. A filthy Rick leaned against one counter, arms crossed over his broad, sweaty t-shirt. Addie sat on the opposite counter, next to a couple of crumpled fast food bags. If possible, she was even more grimy than Rick. She picked at a spot on her jeans, appearing to shut out the world.

Cara leaned one hip against Addie’s counter, just a few feet away from the girl, smiling. She greeted them brightly, seemingly oblivious to any tension between the scowling man and pouting teen. “Hey, guys. Come on in.” Leigh knew better. Cara was anything but oblivious.

Joe walked straight to the slightly less mission-worn Cara, wrapped an arm around her waist, and tucked her close. Addie continued to pick at the invisible spot on her jeans while Rick continued to glare.

Oh boy. They were clearly off to a rocky start. She couldn’t say that surprised her. She remembered the battles she’d waged against her parents when she’d been around that age. She couldn’t imagine what kind of conflict had taken place when teen drama pitted against the hardheaded Rick.

She stepped forward and adopted a friendliness that nearly matched Cara’s. “You’ve eaten? Good. We’ll have to get some groceries stocked.”

Cara went right along with her, as if there wasn’t anything remotely tense happening around them. “I’m going to run to the store and pick up a few things. Help me make a list?”

Rick broke his silence and moved, pulling out his wallet then a credit card. “Good idea. Here. Get enough food for two or three days. Anything beyond that, I’ll have delivered.”

Cara looked from Rick to Joe. “Drive me?”

“Sure. Sis, need to add anything?” He looked reluctant to leave her, but he didn’t have much choice. She hadn’t missed that he hadn’t acknowledged Rick’s presence. At all.

“I’ll be fine. I have enough clothes for a few days. I’ll let you know if I think of anything else.” She walked over and kissed his cheek, then whispered into his ear. “Don’t worry about me, big brother.”

He looked down at her as if she’d asked him to fly to the moon. He shook his head and muttered a single word. “Never.”

Cara took one of his hands in hers and tugged him toward the kitchen’s exit. “Let’s go, big brother.” They left, leaving her with whatever drama Rick and Addie conjured in the short time they’d been together.

She’d briefly considered continuing the happy charade and forging onward as if everything was rainbows and sunshine. But that bandage approach would only get them so far. Ultimately, they would all be better off if they started honestly and built a solid foundation for whatever came their way.

“All right, you two. What’s going on?” Rick glared silently at the girl. If possible, Addie only slumped farther into herself, shutting them out.

Rick, a virtual granite statue, replied without even blinking. “She needs to shower.”

Surely there’s more to it than that? “She does.”

Addie finally spoke. “He called me filthy and said I stink.”

Leigh gave Rick an annoyed look then turned her back on him before speaking to Addie. “Well, sweetheart, you do need a shower. But he’s a man and has no tact whatsoever. They may be smart about a lot of things, but they can also be idiots. I’ve got my bathroom bag with me. You’re welcome to use my shampoo and soap.”

Addie looked up to Leigh, making her heart stutter. Pale blue-gray eyes filled with a wealth of shadows and pain met hers. It took everything in Leigh’s power to keep the tears at bay.

I can do this. One thing at a time.

“Where do we go?” she asked Rick.

He rubbed his hands over his face. She’d been so focused on Addie that she hadn’t given any thought to him. He had to have been awake all night, not to mention whatever they had to go through to find Addie.

“Take your pick. There are six bedrooms and each has its own bath. I had the housekeeper stock towels and linens, but she won’t be back until things are safer. Don’t leave the house. I wasn’t expecting to be living here just yet and need to run a check on the security system and figure out a few things.” He stood straighter. “You can have the run of the house. I know there’s not much furniture yet, but I’ll take care of that tomorrow. The TV and satellite dish work. Make yourselves at home.” He paused before repeating his earlier command. “Just don’t leave the house yet. Once I have everything in place, I’ll show you around the property.” He walked away without another word.

“All right, sweetheart. Let’s go explore this monstrous castle.” Addie kept her head down, but followed her through oak trimmed archways and wide hallways. With no idea where to go, Leigh chose a random hallway leading down one wing. The first two bedrooms they peeked into were enormous with high ceilings, gleaming dark hardwood floors and matching crown molding. They were gorgeous and utterly empty.

They continued down the hall. At the end, they came to an open door. There waited another large bedroom with attached sitting room. Complete with large windows and wallpaper that she suspected might be silk, it was picture perfect. It also sat waiting, barren and empty. Addie followed, barely sparing the opulence a glance. Their footsteps echoed as they returned the way they’d come.

“Does he really live here? It’s like an old haunted museum or something.” The girl continued to look at the floor, but Leigh took heart in her simple act of initiating conversation on her own.

“He does. But I don’t think he’s owned it very long. He was hurt almost a month ago, so he was in the hospital for a bit. Since then, we’ve been staying out at the Walkers’ horse farm for safety reasons, so he really hasn’t had time get furniture or anything like that.” They made it back to where they’d started their exploration. “Okay, I chose last time without much luck. You pick our path this time.”

Addie quirked her head then pointed to the hallway farthest from the one they’d just traveled. “How bad was he hurt?”

Leigh led the way. “Pretty badly.”

The girl spoke tentatively, as if she wasn’t sure if her next subject might be off limits. “Did he get shot? I heard a lot of gunfire the day the guy took you away.”

Leigh forgot that Addie had hidden in the woods and watched that day. Who knew what might have happened to her, if not for Addie’s bravery?

“He was. A bullet hit him in the upper leg. He’s come a long way, but it still gives him a little trouble now and then. Not that he’d admit it.” They stopped at the first door and she slowly opened it.

The room’s grandeur matched or, if possible, exceeded that of the first three they’d discovered. A new king size mattress lay on the floor in one corner. An unopened set of sheets and a single pillow sit atop it. On the floor beside it, a cell phone lay plugged into an outlet. The near empty room struck her as hollow and lonely.

The sound of running water registered and she quickly shut the door. “Well, I think this one is taken. Let’s check the last two.” Welling sadness made her words sound thick as she forced herself to move to the hall’s end. Something about the thought of Rick, when he did so much to take care of everyone else, living alone in such a beautiful, but empty home tugged at her emotions. He deserved so much more than a home filled with nothing but echoes.

Directly across from each other waited two more doors. Leigh shrugged and opened the closest. She stopped, mouth agape. A tall, four-poster bed in a lovely honey oak set in the middle of the enormous room. Matching furniture filled out the room. A pretty pale blue quilt covered the bed.

The same shade as Addie’s eyes. Dear god.

“Wow. This one’s pretty. What do you think? Do you want to take this one?” She walked through the room, as if they hadn’t just fallen down a rabbit hole. “I’ll turn on the shower to warm up the water.” The bathroom wasn’t any less luxurious than the rest of the house, but she got the water running before returning to the bedroom. She half expected to find the room empty.

Instead, she found Addie standing in front of a wide desk that faced the window. Next to the work surface was a tall stack of new, still in the box, art supplies. A mix of awe and fear glittered in her beautiful eyes.

The feeling that Leigh was embarking on what might be the most important part of her life whispered through her.

Please, don’t let me mess this up for her.

She stepped out of the path to the bathroom and closer to Addie. She wanted to crush the girl close and never let go. Every instinct she had screamed that was the wrong thing to do. “Go on in, and check the temperature. Look for washcloths and towels. I’ll be right back. I’ll go get you my shampoo and stuff.” She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath.

She retrieved her bags then returned to Addie’s room. Digging out what she thought the girl might like to use, she sat the items on the bathroom counter and smiled. “Here you go. Use as much as you need. I think I have some pajamas that you can wear until Cara gets back with a change of clothes.”

“Okay.” Leigh was relieved to see that while she still looked like she was headed to the gallows, she was at least cooperating.

“Well, then. I’ll leave you be while you shower. Take your time, okay? I showered this morning, so I’m good. I’m going to take the room directly across the hall. Don’t hesitate to come and get me if you need anything. Even if you just want to talk or hang out.” She waited just long enough to make sure her words registered in Addie’s shocked fog then Leigh shut the bedroom door on her way out.

Not giving a single thought to the room across the way, beyond its proximity to Addie and the escape that it offered, she walked in.

One step into the room, she stopped. The room was furnished much like Addie’s and utterly gorgeous. Open and airy, filled with light and warmth, it was beautiful, comfortable, and her. The main difference? Her bed was a king with a white and a muted spring green quilt.

The same shade as my eyes. She set her things on the floor by the door and made her way to the bed. There she crashed face first into the soft bedding and let the tears fall. Months of stress, worry and hurt poured out of her and onto the pillow.

* * *

After waving goodnight to Noah, Rick closed the door to his room. He collapsed on his mattress and fired off one last order via text message.

Tonight – get some rest and spend time with your girls. Tomorrow, we’re shifting all focus to M.S.

He figured odds were fifty-fifty that Pete would listen. He’d probably help his wife put their girls to bed, spend a couple hours with her, and then get back to his computer. Rick couldn’t fault his team for their workaholic tendencies when that was one of the traits that brought them together in the first place.

He’d been awake for nearly a day and a half, but hadn’t been able to rest until he had all the security details ironed out. Noah had volunteered to take the first shift, and he’d arrived early. Rick had been grateful for the extra set of eyes, and they’d gone over the grounds and ensured the security system worked properly. Each night, one of his team would come and keep watch until Sutton was found. Even though he knew his system surpassed most banks, he wouldn’t be able to rest at night unless he knew a set of human eyes kept watch as well.

He and Noah discussed the possibility that Marcus might cut his losses and leave the country. They agreed that while that might seem like the best option for someone whose empire had been crushed, despite being wanted by multiple government agencies, Marcus would stick around.

Marcus wasn’t much more than a grown schoolyard bully, and Rick had just smashed his sandcastle. There was nothing Marcus hated more than losing, and Rick had destroyed his operation and fled with his new toy, Leigh—two punches in the gut that he wouldn’t be able to tolerate.

It was only a matter of time until he pounced. Rick knew it as well as he knew his own face, maybe better. He’d come looking for revenge, and the best way to punish Rick would be to hurt those he cared about. Anyone with two brain cells could see that meant Leigh and Addie were the most likely targets.

Rick would be ready and waiting when the asshole showed.

Thoughts of Leigh and Addie came to mind as he stretched out, lying flat on his back. He closed his eyes and hoped they’d been able to get some rest. The heavy pressure, that he’d expected to lift when they’d found the girl, continued to squeeze his heart.

He’d vowed to give the girls everything they could ever want or need. They deserved it.

Apparently, Addie expected the one thing he couldn’t give. Him.

Or more accurately him and Leigh together.

As they’d driven up the driveway, James had coughed quietly to get his attention. He gave a subtle, single nod to indicate Rick should look in the backseat. Curious, Rick glanced in his rearview mirror. They’d sandwiched her between Cara and Pete, who’d done their best to occupy her with friendly chatter. When they passed the gates to the property, she looked around wide-eyed, french fry paused a mere inch from her open mouth. She remained silent until they’d walked through the front doors.

Once they’d entered the kitchen, Addie said her first words since they’d gotten in the cars for the long ride home, her quiet voice filled with awe. “This is where you and Leigh live?”

Not giving much thought to it, he’d answered honestly. “We don’t live together. We’re not a couple or anything like that. I just purchased this farm recently, but you two can stay here until we can be certain that everyone is safe.”

Confusion colored her equally beautiful and filthy face. “You mean we’re not all going to live together?”

Shocked by her assumption, and hating to disappointed her, he gave her a single word reply. “No.”

She shutdown, ignored him and barely acknowledged Cara’s friendly chatter.

Leigh had to be upset, likely seriously pissed at him. He couldn’t say he blamed her, but he didn’t regret his broken promise. Even in the midst of anger, upset and upheaval, she focused on the most important thing. Really, the only thing that mattered. Addie.

He owed her an apology. But it might be better if he didn’t give it.

* * *

A sliver of dim light raking across her face woke Leigh from a dead-to-the-world sleep. As she struggled to clear the fog from her mind, a small figure tentatively entered the room. Her surroundings registered about the same moment she identified her late night visitor.

“Addie? Honey, come on in.” She sat up and the last of the fog cleared away. “What’s up?”

Dressed in comfortable pajama bottoms and matching t-shirt, the girl stared at her feet.

“Are you hungry?” She’d figured the poor girl would be starving. She should have checked on her after her shower. Instead, she’d collapsed and fallen into the deepest sleep she’d had in months.

Addie stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She was just visible in the dim glow coming from the bathroom nightlight. “No. I’m okay. Cara brought the groceries. We made sandwiches and had cookies before she left.”

“That’s good.” She paused, wondering what must be going through Addie’s mind. “Sweetheart, what is it?”

Slim shoulders rose and fell in defeat. “I can’t sleep. I mean. I’m really tired, but it’s too quiet. Can I stay in here? I’d rather sleep outside, but I think he would get mad.”

Of course. She felt like a total heel. Addie had been sleeping outdoors for close to a month, if not longer. “Absolutely. Come on in. Rick just wants us to be safe. Where do you—?” Before she finished her question, Addie crossed the room and climbed in the bed. Not in eagerness, but as if she was afraid she’d lose her courage.

Oh, poor girl. I’m such a selfish idiot.

“Sorry, sweetheart. I should have checked on you. I must have been more tired than I thought. This bed is huge, and there’s plenty of room.”

Addie tucked a pillow under her cheek, frowned and looked accusingly at Leigh. “This pillow is wet. Were you crying?”

Leigh tried for a lighthearted joke. “Would you believe me if I told you that I drool in my sleep? Here, let’s toss that one, there are about five more to choose from.” She carefully pulled the tear soaked pillow free and handed her a substitute from the large pile she’d knocked to the floor when she’d gotten comfortable.

Addie took the new pillow, curled on her side, and looked at Leigh oddly. “You’re not a very good liar, are you?”

Leigh could only laugh. “No, I’m not. I rarely lie. There’s no point in it. I guess I haven’t had much practice.”

Addie inched closer, reminding Leigh of a starving, but wary pup. “That’s not a bad thing. My dad was an expert liar. Why were you crying?”

Leigh pretended not to notice the way Addie crept closer and tucked the small ray of hope it brought her close. She’d have something happy to savor later. But, the little stinker had boxed Leigh into a corner. She’d just told the girl that she didn’t believe in lying. Now she had to answer her difficult question.

Damn and shit.

“It’s been a stressful couple of months. I’ve had a lot of worries bottled up for a long time. I think it was past time to let all the worry and stress out.”

“Did it work? Do you feel any better?”

She thought for a moment then realized she did. “Yeah. I do.”

Addie stayed quiet, mulling things over. Maybe Leigh should ask a question or two of her own. “What really happened with you and Rick? I’m no dummy. You can’t tell me all the tension was because you needed to shower. He might be a clueless man, but there has to be more to it. I told you my secret. It’s your turn to tell me something.”

Addie flopped onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She sighed heavily. “It’s stupid.”

Leigh reached out and tucked a lock of silver blond hair behind the girl’s ear. “No, if it upset you, it’s not.”

“How can you say that? You don’t even know what it is.”

“If it involves your feelings, his feelings, or both combined, then it has the potential to be something serious. Your feelings are important.”

“I had this stupid little girl dream. He shot it down. It’s not a big deal”

“Addie. Dreams are not stupid.”

Covering her face with one arm, Addie admitted, “I asked him if you guys lived here together. Like, I thought maybe we could be a family and live happily ever after and stuff. Like I said, it’s stupid.”

“No. It’s absolutely not stupid. Dream are important. What you need to focus on are dreams and goals that you can work toward. Your dream job. Places you want to see when you’re grown, stuff like that. Those dreams turn into goals you can accomplish. When you hang your dreams on other people, well, those are just wishes. There’s a difference.”

“Like, no matter how hard I wished my dad would stop doing bad things, he never did?” Her sullen words were an ugly smack of reality.

She owed this girl honesty. Addie spent her entire life in a nest of ugliness and lies. The least Leigh could do was vow to always tell her the truth, even when it stunk to high heaven. “Yes, like that. I wish with all my heart things had been different for you, but there’s no power on this earth that can change that. All I can do is vow to do the very best I can to be there for you from this point forward.”

Addie whispered her quiet acceptance. “Okay.” She didn’t sound convinced, but Leigh took heart when she pulled the sheet up over her shoulder to get comfortable. Addie closed her eyes and eventually fell asleep while Leigh lay awake and stared at the dark ceiling for hours.