Fragile Sanctuary (Sparrow Falls Book 1)

Trace, Kye, and Fallon all rushed forward as I stood from the hospital bed, all talking at once.

“Don’t move so fast,” Trace chided.

“Watch your arm,” Kye shouted.

“Let me help you,” Fallon said.

I gave them all an exasperated look. “Guys, I’m okay. Chill.”

With Anson finally being forced to leave the hospital for his interview with Deputy Hansen and the FBI, I’d thought I would get a break from the intense overprotectiveness. But that was not the case. My siblings had filled that role without missing a step.

The only one who hadn’t rushed forward was Shep. He stood in the spot he’d favored over the past twenty-four hours, in the corner, against the wall, his arms crossed. He’d barely said two words to me other than, “I’m so sorry.”

I was starting to worry that what had happened might’ve scarred Shep more than anyone. I understood it in a way. He’d hired Silas right out of high school, worked with him every day for almost a decade, and hadn’t seen Silas’s darkness.

No matter what I said, it didn’t seem like Shep could let it go. Hopefully, that would change as he saw me doing fine. Or I’d eventually be able to get through to him.

“Give the girl a little breathing room, would you? She’s gonna suffocate.”

My head jerked in the direction of the voice. The move was too quick, and a wave of dizziness hit me, but I did my best to hide it. “Cope?” I choked. “What are you doing here? I thought you had a game.”

He strode across the room, all six feet five inches of pure muscle. He wrapped me in the gentlest of hugs. “My sister gets kidnapped, and you think I’m not going to come see if she’s all right?”

“I told you I was fine,” I said, hugging him with my good arm.

Cope pulled back, shadows swirling in his eyes. “I needed to see for myself.”

“I’m not going to complain about having you home.” It was such a rarity these days. Ever since he’d been drafted into the NHL right out of college, really. Even his few months of offseason weren’t really free. There were press obligations and charity work. We were lucky if he got two weeks here.

“That mean I get to drive you home?” he asked hopefully.

I arched a brow at him. “Did you bring that ridiculously expensive SUV?”

Cope chuckled. “It’s not that bad.”

“It’s a freaking Bentley,” I argued.

He just shrugged. “Handles like a dream.”

“You can only drive her if you promise to drive carefully,” Fallon said, moving toward us.

Cope turned, sending her a mischievous grin. “I always drive carefully.”

Fallon just scoffed.

“I will ticket you,” Trace growled. “Don’t think I won’t.”

“Geez,” Cope muttered. “I’m going to drive like a grandma, promise.”

“Enough,” I said. “Can I please go home? The beige in this place is starting to give me a headache.”

“Let’s go,” Cope said, wrapping an arm around me. “Your wheelchair chariot awaits.”

Cope kept looking over at me as we made the almost-hour drive from the hospital to home. As if he were checking to make sure I truly was all right. But it wasn’t until we were within town limits that he asked anything.

His hands adjusted on the steering wheel as he cleared his throat. “How are you really? More than physically.”

I appreciated that Cope simply asked straight-out. No beating around the bush. And it was a fair question. “I’m okay. Not great. But not awful. I’ll get there.”

I’d had a couple of nightmares last night, but Anson was there and finally just got into the hospital bed with me.

“You will,” Cope said with certainty.

I worried the corner of my lip. “I feel bad for Felix.”

Once Silas’s true nature had been revealed, Felix had started talking. Apparently, Silas had befriended him along the way. From what Anson could put together, given what I’d shared and what the FBI had found out about Silas, he liked the emotional torture just as much or more as the physical. He loved listening to Felix talk about how I was the one that got away. How the fire had stolen everything from us both.

When Anson and I started getting closer, Silas began planting seeds in his conversations with Felix. Silas told him he’d seen Anson berating me and bruises on my arm. Silas wove his web of lies and convinced Felix that Anson was abusing me. He’d come to the house that night to get proof to take to Trace, and everything had gotten completely out of hand.

Felix having feelings for me all these years broke my heart. Because we were never meant to be. And the fact that Silas had manipulated it all to his advantage made me sick to my stomach. Anson had dropped any charges against Felix, and the district attorney had finally agreed not to prosecute the trespassing and assault.

Cope blew out a breath. “You know what happened to Felix isn’t on you.”

I did. But it didn’t change the fact that I was still dealing with a heavy dose of guilt. Even more when Trace shared this morning that his team had found evidence linking Silas to Davis’s murder. But that had only been the tip of the iceberg.

A search of Silas’s apartment revealed that he had hacked into my phone and computer and had been monitoring them since high school. They’d found trophies from dozens of murders, beginning with Silas’s mom and sister. Cadaver dogs were currently searching his family’s property, hoping to find the bodies so they could finally be put to rest.

Cope reached over and squeezed my hand. “It’s going to take time, but you will heal. I promise.”

I knew he was right. And even more, I appreciated the reassurance. I squeezed his hand in return. “Lucky to have you.”

He grinned at me as he turned onto my gravel drive. “Don’t you forget it, Rho-Rho.”

I snorted. “That nickname can die a thousand deaths.”

“Never,” he shot back.

As Cope pulled up to the guest cottage, Anson stepped out the front door, Biscuit on a leash at his side.

“That your new guy?” Cope asked.

“Don’t even think about pulling your intimidation tactics,” I warned.

“What? I can’t ask a simple question?”

“I know how you work, Copeland Colson.”

“Shit, full-naming me? You must like him,” Cope grumbled.

“I love him,” I said honestly.

Cope jerked in his seat, turning toward me. “You love him?”

I nodded.

“You’ve never gotten serious about anyone.” A hint of concern laced Cope’s words.

I shrugged. “He gets me. Sees the part of me I always thought I needed to hide and loves me anyway.”

Something I couldn’t quite discern passed over Cope’s face. “I’m glad for you.”

“Thanks.”

My door opened, and Anson was there. His gaze roamed over my face. “You okay? The drive wasn’t too much? How’s your pain level?”

I pressed a palm to his chest. “I’m good. I swear.”

Anson leaned in and kissed me, his tongue stroking in for the briefest of moments.

“Dude, that’s my sister. I don’t need to see that crap,” Cope muttered.

Anson pulled back, humor dancing in his eyes. “Nice to meet you, Cope.”

“I wish I could say the same, but your tongue was just down my sister’s throat.”

I smacked him with my good arm. “Shut up. Do you know how many girls I’ve had to see you make out with over the years? And let’s not forget the time I walked in on you and Kate⁠—”

Cope covered my mouth with his hand. “Don’t go there. For the love of God, erase that moment from your memory.”

I nipped his hand.

“Ow,” he said, jerking back. “That hurt.”

I rolled my eyes. “You get slammed into the boards by massive enforcers. I think you can take it.”

“Come on, Reckless,” Anson said. “Let’s get you inside before you do real bodily harm.”

He helped me out of the SUV, and I bent to give Biscuit love. He whined and danced around me but seemed to sense he needed to be gentle. I looked up at Anson. “I missed him.”

He guided me toward the guesthouse. “You’ll get all the cuddle time with him you need since you’ll be resting for the next couple of weeks.”

I didn’t miss the warning tone in Anson’s voice. “You’re going to be my prison warden, aren’t you?”

One corner of his mouth kicked up. “Already took leave with Shep.”

I groaned. Anson wouldn’t let me get away with anything.

My mind again flickered to Shep. Besides his worry about me, he had to be behind on his jobs with all the setbacks, losing Anson for a couple of weeks, and Owen permanently. Owen, who apparently hadn’t learned his lesson and mouthed off so badly to his new boss that he’d been fired there, too.

“There’s my baby girl,” Lolli called from the porch, pulling me out of my worry spiral. “You need anything? Some of my special brew? My poppy tea will cure what ails you.”

Trace slammed the door of his SUV. “You did not seriously say you are making opium tea in front of me.”

Lolli just shrugged. “I’m not selling it. The seeds are legal, you know.”

“Jesus.” He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Auntie Rho!” Keely called, darting around Lolli. “You’re home! Are you okay? Does your arm hurt? Can I sign your cast? I’ll draw a real pretty picture on it.”

Trace hoisted her up into his arms. “Keels, baby. Let’s give Rho a chance to get settled.”

I grinned at her. “You can decorate my whole cast if you want.”

Keely’s eyes went wide. “Really? I got my markers here, too. I’ve been drawing with Supergran. But her flowers look funny.”

Lolli beamed at me. “More dick flowers for you, my girl.”

“Lolli,” a chorus of voices shouted at once.

Nora sent her a scathing look as she wiped her hands on her apron and maneuvered toward me. “I’ve got soup on the stove and a few casseroles in the freezer. I stocked up some ginger ale in case the painkillers are rough on your stomach. I’ve got everything cleaned, including fresh sheets on your bed. I’ll bring more food over tomorrow and⁠—”

“Nora,” I cut her off.

She halted just in front of me.

“Thanks for being the best second mom I could ever ask for,” I whispered.

Nora’s eyes filled as she wrapped me in the gentlest hug. “Best honor I could ever have, getting to be a part of raising you. Loving you.”

“Love you so much,” I choked out.

“More than all the stars in the sky.” She finally released me and wiped at her eyes. “Let’s get you settled.”

And that’s what she did. I let Nora mother me onto the couch she’d set up with blankets and pillows. My siblings created quiet chaos around me, eating and talking but keeping things light.

Anson settled on the couch next to me, Biscuit between us, already happily snoring. Anson scratched between his ears. “What would you think about keeping Biscuit?”

The question was about more than adopting a pet. It was asking if I was ready for real permanence in my life in a way I’d been too scared to reach for before. My fingers sifted through Biscuit’s fur. “I actually texted Nancy from the hospital and asked if I could.”

Anson’s mouth curved. “You did?”

“I did.”

His hand covered mine on Biscuit’s back, and his gaze bored into mine as if trying to read every micro expression. “Do you still want to live here? Still want to fix up the house? Or do you want to start fresh?”

I thought about it for a long moment. There was so much pain here, but there was far more joy. That was life. The valleys only made you appreciate the mountaintops more. “He doesn’t get to steal the magic of this place. I won’t let him.”

“That’s my girl.” Anson’s fingers wove through mine. “How would you feel about my moving in here while we bring that magic back?”

My eyes burned. “You want to live with me?”

“Home is wherever you are,” he whispered. “You’re my sanctuary. Where I feel peace. Where I feel seen. Don’t want anything more.”

“Yes,” I whispered. “I want you to move in.” My eyes watered as my lips pulled into a smile. “You’re going to have to deal with dick flowers and color, though.”

Anson barked out a laugh, then leaned in, his lips hovering just above mine. “Small price to pay for a life with you.”