I just knew there was more to me than my name suggested. I was the object of someone’s obsession and all their resentment.
It was an ugly domino effect. Two families ruined because of some enmity that should have been buried long ago.
Sheriff Reynolds was adamant that it would start over again with another girl, and another Burrows. He told me that he wanted to stop it. He didn’t want another sweet girl like me to get hurt. I could only smile and bite my tongue to stop from spilling my guts.
No one could ever know my secrets.
I was far from innocent.
I could have ended this before it began if I’d come forward as a witness, admitting I realized Con was the one who killed my uncle. It had been a suspicion in the beginning—like the one I had with Max.
But who could forget something like that? He’d looked me right in the eye and spoke my name the same way he eventually did a hundred times—the voice still the same.
It wouldn’t do me any good to divulge that now. I needed to start planning how to move forward.
With Molly gone, I was on my own.
Con wouldn’t be stupid enough to show his face around here, and I wasn’t going to go looking for him.
If we met again…
I wasn’t sure what would happen. Would it be another fight to the death? I didn’t want to go through that again. I wanted to live so badly just as a normal girl for once.
I could only hope this finally ended here.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Chapter Twenty-Three
Six Months Later
I remembered wanting to leave this small town. I hated everything about the place with its one gas station and tractor driving cowboys.
I took all of that back now.
I’d been here nearly seven months and slowly made myself at home. It was my third month here when Reynolds informed me that Grandpa had left me the house and the secret savings account he’d been building over the years just for me.
The tombstone a few feet away marked the passing of the only person other than my parents that had genuinely loved me. My heart ached every time I came to visit, but he made me fell less alone these days. Therefore, I stayed. That, and because it was safe.
Everyone knew everyone, and when what happened to me spread around, the outpouring of support was overwhelming. I wasn’t ridiculed or judged but praised.
It was all bullshit, but I went with it.
Being somewhere where people believed a certain version of events seemed better to me than starting over and reinventing myself yet again. I no longer had to conceal and hide every detail of my past.
I approached Grandpa’s white tombstone with my carnations, not thinking anything of the flowers already there until I was right in front of the grave.
Twelve dozen roses sat between two bouquets sold at the local grocery store. I closed my eyes and pulled in a deep breath, slowly exhaling when I opened them again.
It’s not him, I told myself, clutching the carnations to my chest. I couldn’t freak out every time I saw roses. These ones weren’t even black.
They were deep red and tied together with a white bow. Anyone could have left these here. My grandpa was a well-loved, well respected man endeared to a lot of people in town.
I placed my carnations down with a small sigh, staring at his name for a few minutes. I should’ve been here with him. I found some comfort in knowing he lived a full life and had been happy. If there was some afterlife for good people, he would surely be there right then, drinking mimosas with Grandma.
Feeling the vibration of my phone, I reached in my bag and withdrew it, checking the caller ID before swiping to accept.
“Hello?” I answered, turning away from Grandpa’s grave.
“Hey! What do you have going on tomorrow morning?”
“Nothing much. Why, what’s up?”
“I’m going to be there sooner than I thought.”
“How much sooner?”
“Like, seven-ish in the morning sooner…”
I laughed and hit the unlock button for my Rouge. “Of course, it’s fine. I’ll even make breakfast if you want.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you in a few.”
I ended the call and got in my car, making a mental list of what I needed to do before Darcy got here. We hadn’t seen each other in months, not since I first got out of the hospital. She’d only been able to stay a weekend, so I couldn’t meet her fiancé. He was making this trip with her this time around.
I wasn’t too crazy about having a guy I didn’t know in my house, but I couldn’t tell her no. I’d already agreed to be her maid of honor. At least now I could judge this man for myself.
I double checked the guest room was ready and put some extra towels in the attached bathroom. There wasn’t much to do beyond this. With everything set for Darcy’s arrival, I was ready to chill in my bed for the rest of the night. I could barely stay up past ten these days.
I took a quick shower and just did that, wrapping myself in a terry-cloth robe and settling in with my tablet. After thinking about it, I found myself going to my email and opening one that Darcy sent when I first got out of the hospital. I didn’t have a cell right away, and I stayed away from social media these days.
I didn’t want to risk any chance of coming in contact or exposing myself to Con. I found what I wanted and re-read it.
From:DarcyXoPolk
To: RosieM12
Remember the Ryan guy I told you about? The one I met online? He moved out here a few months ago. The man is a true gentleman. (They still exist!) And he has the most GORGEOUS blue eyes and this indescribably sexy accent.
He said he’d love to meet you, so I think I’ll bring him with me next time. What do you think? Miss U.
There wasn’t anything about it that said this man had something to with Constantine. The blue eyes and accent were all I had. Plus, Darcy had been talking to this man before everything went down between us. He had a good job and seemed to be established.
But I kept coming back this to email. I didn’t have a valid reason for being paranoid. I knew once I met him, I’d feel better.
At least, I hoped.
Twenty-Four
I hadn’t heard from Constantine since he’d left flowers in my hospital room. He’d seemingly vanished from the face of the earth. The people in Black Pine who had gotten to know him under the guise of Max were miffed.
They didn’t understand how someone could just up and leave a life they’d established and settled into, their home and job abandoned like it was nothing. I myself didn’t know the full extent of the Burrow family background, but I knew Constantine was repeating an old family cycle. He came from money and connections.
Reynolds had distanced himself from that part of his family for the most part. He still helped them when he could, though. Even recently.
He had been ‘assisting’ the Black Pine police department in investigating. That’s how I knew more than I should. He often relayed what was happening. I knew he was still protecting Con, though. He was also doing the same for me, making sure I wasn’t bothered. The man had been caught in between and couldn’t seem to pick a side.
Hearing a car pull into the drive, I left the kitchen and peered through the front curtain. A newer town car with blacked out windows pulled in, coming to a stop behind my SUV.