Devoured by Doms (Doms of Destiny, Colorado 4)

She blinked several times, bringing her focus back to the monitor. The Texans still had her computer, so she’d borrowed this one from Eric. It was about to explode with all the e-mails. Most were business but several were from staff around the country that had recently learned about her abduction.

She couldn’t face those good-intentioned messages yet.

What she was chasing was a sense of normalcy. Would that ever happen again for her? She wasn’t sure.

Everyone had to deal with tragedy she told herself. She and the other orphans of the plane crash of September 28, 2001, had learned that early in life. Before that awful day, she’d grown up in a loving family. She

and her brothers had seen what a happy marriage could be in their mom and dads. Since they were up-by-your-bootstraps kind of men, their dads had been hard on all three of them but a little harder on her brothers. Mom had always been the mediator in the family, softening the harsh sentences that their dads had issued after some infraction by Reed and Sawyer, though Reed had been the one who seemed to be more inclined to go on a joyride or ditch school than Sawyer back then.

Erica had learned to value hard work and honesty from her dads, and about having a kind heart for those who weren’t as fortunate as her from her mom. Few in the county had less than the Coleman family, but her mother had always told her that money wasn’t the only thing that left people lacking.

Her dads had worked for the Stone family on their ranch and had loved it like breathing. Their orphaned sons—Emmett, Cody, and Bryant—were like brothers to her even before they lost their parents. She’d been close to Eric and Scott Knight as well, but the bond tightened when they, too, had lost their mom and dads.

It had been a carefree life before that plane had gone down.

The anniversary of that event was just four days away. The town would hold a memorial service and moment of silence in remembrance of those lost, as they did every year. And she wouldn’t attend, just like the years before. She couldn’t go to the cemetery and stand at her parents’ grave. Being there would stir memories she wasn’t ready to deal with.

She was the youngest and only girl of the orphans. She still missed her mom and dads to this day, but remembering one of her mother’s lessons had helped her through her grief.

Erica, we all have choices. Every day. Every moment. We can choose to focus on the dark or on the light. I choose to walk on the sunny side of life. I hope you do, too.

The intercom buzzed, jerking her from her ride down memory lane.

She punched the button. “Yes.”

“Hey, it’s me.” Scott Knight’s voice came through the speaker. “I’m bringing up someone who wants to see you.”

“Yes, Sir,” she said in her best mocking tone.

“Erica, I think you’ll be happy to see this person.”

“Fine. Bring him up.”

“See you in thirty seconds.” The light went off on her phone.

Erica stood, readying for another person to look at her with sympathetic eyes. Yes, what had happened had been horrible. Yes, she wasn’t over it. Yes, she was terrified of her own shadow. Yes, she still didn’t feel comfortable holding the Glock, which might’ve given her a little sense of self-protection. Yes, she felt like she was going crazy. Yes, she kept thinking about Dylan and Cam. But no, she didn’t want to think about any of it or see anyone right now.

The executive elevator opened and out came Scott followed by Sam O’Leary.

Scott smiled. “It’s someone you don’t mind seeing. Am I right?”

“You’re right,” she answered. Sam, Patrick, and Ethel O’Leary were the richest people in Destiny. Billionaires. But they were more than that to her. They were like grandparents to her and all the orphans of September 28, 2001. The O’Learys had swept in and taken care of them in every way.

She felt her insides quake. “Where are Patrick and Ethel?”

Sam came up to her and hugged her tight. “Ethel is at the courthouse hearing the land dispute between the Black Oak and Savage Ranches. Patrick is riding his Harley. Would you like to talk, kiddo?”

Sam was a semi-retired psychologist. In his seventies, his bearing was engaging and kind. He wore glasses that reminded her of what John Lennon had worn, probably because Sam had told her that he had known the musician before he’d died.

“I’m not sure I’m ready to do that,” she told him.

“I’m headed back downstairs,” Scott said. “I need to talk to Matt and Sean about what more they’ve found out about that hacker. You don’t mind seeing Sam back to the lobby, Erica, do you?”

“Do I have a choice? Seems like this is an ambush to me.” She grinned. “No, I don’t mind.”

Scott nodded. He turned and went back to the elevator. Scott and Eric were in love with Megan. The woman was amazing. The change she saw in both her bosses was remarkable. No longer did they work into the wee hours. They were out of the tower by five sharp, beelining it back to the mansion and to Megan. The sweet girl was head over heels for them, too.

That was what Erica was feeling for Dylan and Cam. But how could it work if she was so broken? It couldn’t. And Dylan was holding back for some reason. They seemed to be doomed.