“I know. But that night was…I barely remember half of it. I saw my sister get murdered. How did you think I would react?”
Alex finally pulled his eyes away from the window and looked at me, his cold stare still in place, but there was a shadow of his old look.
“I thought you were dead.”
“You thought one stab wound killed me?”
Niko glanced at me in the rearview mirror.
I swallowed. “I didn’t know. But the whole place caught fire so fast. I didn’t know if you got out in time.”
“The fire you started. No, Niko got me out. He even called from the landline to try to get the fire department there faster. We almost didn’t make it out.”
I stayed quiet, not sure what to say.
“I almost did die. Do you know how far a hospital is up there? By the time I got there, I had lost almost too much blood. I had a lot of internal injuries. I was in a medically induced coma for a few days. Spent a lot of time in the hospital and even more on bed rest before I got back on my feet.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Are you? Because you didn’t seem to be when you attacked me.” His eyes flashed to mine.
“I thought I was going to die in that house. I would have done anything to get out.” I didn’t need to lie about that.
“Yeah, I know.”
The tense silence came back, and I wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Niko hadn’t said a word since we got in the car. Alex went back to looking out the window. I couldn’t do this. I had spent the last six months being quiet.
“What are you going to do with me?” I asked, ignoring the unrelenting terror that was spreading through my limbs.
“Why don’t we wait—”
“Wait for what? What’s the difference between telling me now or in a few hours?” I snapped, unable to handle the suspense anymore.
Neither of the brothers said anything. I stared at Alex, waiting for him to answer. After a minute, I turned my glare to the front.
“Niko, you usually can’t shut up. Why don’t you tell me?”
He shot me an annoyed look in the mirror but didn’t say a word.
“Are you going to make me disappear? Like my mom? Like you were going to do with Lacey? Like all those other women?” Questions poured from my mouth, and it was impossible to stop now.
“Sage—”
“Just tell me.”
“I wanted to avoid this. I planned to marry you. Even after you found out our secret. I thought you would understand. But then you set our house on fire. Two of our guys died. And then you disappeared.” Alex was looking at me like I was to blame.
“What did you expect me to do?”
“I don’t know. But I still don’t get how you knew to go into hiding. You planned everything not to be found.”
“Well, no one can say she isn’t smart.” Niko finally joined the conversation. I knew he was trying to avoid that subject, since he was the reason I’d fled.
“I saw the sheriff outside the house that night. The same man who was in the great room with everyone else. I figured your cult had reach.” I thought my explanation was good enough for Alex to believe.
“It’s not a cult,” he growled. “It’s a belief and our way of life.”
“I didn’t grow up in it, Alex. It’s different for me,” I said softly, not wanting him to get angry. I needed him to understand why I did everything. “Don’t you think it’s going to cause suspicion if I disappear after what happened to my mom? And my sister? Almost a whole family just gone. It’s bound to raise questions.”
“You’ve disappeared for the past six months and there’s been no suspicion.”
“Not fully. I was still calling my dad every week. I still pay bills for my house and make withdrawals from my bank account. If I stop calling my dad, then his nurse will know something is wrong.”
He didn’t answer, appearing deep in thought. Deciding what to do with me. I knew him well enough that I could play on his emotions. If I could twist this conversation just right, there was a chance of me surviving.
“What if I didn’t have to disappear?”
Niko glanced back at me with questions in his eyes while Alex slightly shook his head.
“We can’t let you go,” he said, almost sadly, and my heart jumped. It was the reaction I wanted. He still cared.
“I know. But what if I chose to be with you? Be together. Like it used to be.”
“Be together?”