“He’d stay out there for a long time,” she says, her voice raspy, “and when he came back, he’d be in such a good mood. I asked him about it once and he told me—” She squints as if looking at a far-off painting. “He told me to mind my own fucking business. Sorry for the bad language, dear, that’s just how he talked.”
“Do you know what he was doing?”
“I had suspicions. I wondered a lot over the years, and there were a few times when he wasn’t careful and I saw the other girls or found proof of them, but what could I do? Leave him? There’s no leaving this family.”
My eyes widen, heart thudding. “Oh, god. You think—Your husband and I? It wasn’t like that.”
“It’s okay, honey. It was a long time ago. I’m sure Kellen would understand. Orin was a powerful man and you were a single girl living all alone out in that cottage.”
“No, I’m sorry, Goldie, we weren’t having an affair.” I feel sick just from thinking about it. The idea that Orin touched me sexually is so repulsive I want to vomit.
She tilts her head, confused. “Then what were you doing?”
I open my mouth to tell her, because somehow the truth isn’t as bad as what she’s suggesting, but the doors bang open.
Kellen strides into the room followed by Eunika, looking smug. The nurse ratted me out, that piece of trash, and I jump from my chair, backing away from the bed. Goldie smiles, looking even more confused as Kellen zeroes in on me and grabs my arm roughly.
“Are you okay, Mother?”
“I’m fine, dear, your wife was just visiting. What’s wrong, Kellen?”
“Tara didn’t have permission to be in here.”
Goldie looks haunted as she shakes her head. “That’s okay, dear, that’s okay. I was just talking to Tara and remembering something—”
“Sorry, Mother. I should have posted guards but I didn’t realize someone would stoop so low.” He stares death at me and drags me from the room.
“Wait,” Goldie calls out. “Tara, I remember. I’m sorry, dear, I remember what he did! I’m so sorry!” I look back and tears roll down her cheeks, but Kellen doesn’t slow down. He pulls me from the room and throws me against the far wall, seething with rage, too angry to listen right now.
“Are you insane?” he asks.
“Kellen—”
“You must be fucking crazy to go into my mother’s room first thing in the morning and rile her up. She hasn’t been well the last couple days and you think it’s a good idea to start talking to her about the past? I had to race home to deal with this shit. You’re lucky Eunika reached out to me and not Hugh.”
“Please, it’s only that—”
He pulls me from the wall and drags me back down the hall. I gasp and struggle, trying to get away, but his grip is iron. He’s not himself right now and the rage rolls off his body in thick, heavy waves, and I’m terrified of what he’ll do. This is a different sort of anger, a much different anger, and I don’t think he’s going to spank me. I don’t think he’s going to make it feel good.
We reach our suite and he throws me into the bedroom. I stumble and lean against the bed, breathing hard and rubbing my sore arm.
“Stay the fuck here,” he says, jaw working. “You will not leave this room. Do you understand me?”
“Kellen, please.”
“Stop it. I don’t want to hear your excuses. I’m posting a guard outside this door with orders to throw you back in if you try to escape. Stop struggling, Tara. Stop making this harder. I’ll figure out what to do with you and come back soon.” He walks away and slams the door behind him.
Leaving me trapped and alone.