Ben (The Sherwood)

“I’m not his legal wife. He has no claim on me except in the eyes of our church. I am his property,” Merci interrupted me.

Property. She had used that word referring to herself like she was furniture or cattle that they raised. I scratched my head. This was archaic thinking. We were talking about a human being as being property.

I couldn’t imagine what the young woman had gone through or what he had done to Lilah either and I didn’t want to know.

Then my eyes met Disa’s and I knew. She nodded at me. Her eyes were sad because she knew that for the last few months, her sister’s life had been hell and she was trying to convey that to me without words.

“So, these ladies are staying here?” I asked thinking Disa would like it if her sister close to her.

“Nope,” Heath said.

“God dammit,” AJ shouted causing us all to turn our focus on them. He jumped out of the chair and whirled around on Daisy. I thought he might punch her. His hands were clenched at his sides.

“You can’t do that. I almost had the bullet out.” Daisy shouted at him.

“Could we keep it to a low roar. My child is sleeping,” I admonished them.

“She’s trying to kill me,” AJ snarled at me. I wanted to laugh.

“You, big baby, sit your ass down. You never could take pain.”

“I survived you, didn’t I? That was painful.”

When he sat down, she wacked him in the head and he turned and glared at her.

“Stop it,” Dad snapped. “Both of you.”

Daisy sighed. “Give me five minutes, AJ. I’ll have the bullet out.” Her voice didn’t have its usual sass. She just wanted this to be over. I knew Daisy well even though she was AJ’s age. She had been at our house on more occasions than I could count until AJ and Daisy turned eighteen and were heading off to college.

“I didn’t cheat on you,” AJ said. His voice was soft and filled with hurt and the room got suddenly quiet until Heath snorted.

“Eighteen years later, you still want to discuss this?” She said. I noticed her hand trembled as she tried to get the bullet out of my brother’s shoulder.

“I want you to finally believe in me, Daisy.”

She stopped talking and focused on his shoulder.

Heath turned to me, changing the subject. “Ben, the ladies will be coming home with me. Most people don’t even know my cabin exists. If they find it, I have precautions that will prevent anyone from getting too close before someone can get to the girls.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Precautions?” I repeated his word.

“Don’t worry about it,” Heath informed me. I was beginning to hate his vague statements. I was worried about it and this was Disa’s sister we were talking about.

I shook my head. Inhaled sharply. “You keep saying that and it scares me more than anything. Will they be safe with you?”

He frowned at me. “After what I saw at the compound, they will love living with me. I’ll even give them my bed to share. I will even sleep on the sofa until I can get more furniture for the cabin.” He only had one bed at the cabin. I remembered that now that he was contemplating taking two women home with him.

What had he seen that was so bad that these women were terrified, begging my brothers to take them with them.

I glanced at Merci. “Are you all right with that?” I asked.

“Yes, I don’t want to put Disa in danger. This will be the first place he looks for me because after our parents died I wanted to join my sister, but Elder Ron would not allow it.”

Disa embraced Merci. She gazed over her sister’s head at me. “I don’t want Ron to find me…ever…again.” She shivered like his ghost was watching over her. She had a haunted look in her eyes that I was sure would not go away soon.

“He won’t,” I promised her. I hoped that my word was my truth.

“Bullet is out,” Daisy declared.