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“I understand,” I said.

“You don’t believe me.”

How could I? I didn’t want to talk. I wanted to argue even less. I wanted to lie there and be numb, try not to think of any of it, but he wouldn’t let me.

“You did what you wanted and didn’t care to worry about anything else, including the fact that I was left behind in a world I don’t know, with people I’ve just met. And you know what? That’s fine. You’re not responsible for me. I can take care of myself, and Idid.”

“You consider what you did taking care of yourself?”

“It was a decisionImade. It’s done. Now I’m tired, and I don’t want to talk about it with you.”

He didn’t say anything else, but I could feel the tension roiling from him. A few seconds later, he got up and left. It was becoming a habit, it seemed.

Chapter Nineteen

Kaden wasn’t there when I awoke in the morning. I didn’t know if he’d come back at some point while I slept or had crashed somewhere else.

I took it as a blessing and joined Luisca. Something about working in the garden eased the tension and the stiffness from my back. Though it was hard to completely unwind when I kept catching looks from people walking past, clearly uneasy with me. I wasn’t sure if it was because of what happened with the kids at the lake, or that Kaden had turned into a crazed animal and tried to hunt Mason down. Either could’ve done it.

But none of the stares caught me off guard the way the blonde walking across the field staring at me right now did. The others either shuttered their thoughts somewhat or had a mix of emotions. This woman was glaring at me like she’d take a knife to my back if she had the chance.

“That’s Virginia, Mason’s wife,” Luisca said, having spotted the angry look too.

“I’ve never seen her before. Even when I was at the house, chopping wood, I might’ve heard her, but I didn’t see her.” This place wasn’t that big. I’d thought I’d seen everyone.

“She’s very high strung and tends to stay to herself. With Mason missing, and her oldest son still laid up, she’s probably got to handle more chores.”

She was lugging a bucket with her, her slender shoulders looking strained from the weight.

“Do you think she’d accept any help from me?” The way she was looking at me, she might spit on me before she took a hand.

“No, I’d let it be. I don’t think she’d be receptive. Not to mention if Kaden saw you doing her errands…” Luisca patted my arm, shaking her head as if no one wanted to deal with the fallout from that. “Don’t worry. I’ll send Tiber over there. She’s more likely to take help from him.”

I sat back on my heels as the small form walked away. “I feel like I blew up her life. I was just trying to keep the peace, and things went so wrong.”

“He wasn’t a good man. We’re better off with him gone. From the rumors I’ve heard, she’s better off with him gone as well, and she’ll come to see that eventually.” Luisca went back to gardening, as if not giving it another thought.

I wished I could be so sure.

As I watched Virginia walk off, I could feel Kaden nearing. I tried not to focus on him, tried to keep him out of my thoughts, which seemed nearly impossible lately. It seemed like every topic I thought of somehow led me back to thinking about him.

He stopped in front of me, blocking my view of Virginia.

“I need to see you for a minute.” He reached down and took my hand, tugging me up slowly. His gaze scanned me as I stood, as if I were going to have a welt across my cheek or something.

“What’s going on? I’ve got a lot of work.”

“This won’t take long,” he said, walking toward the house and pulling me with him. He didn’t let go until we were upstairs in our bedroom.

“What is it? There’s a lot of planting to be done.” I wasn’t spending any more time alone with him than needed. Everyone knew where he stood in his feelings about us, most of all me. From here on out, I’d sleep in this room with him, but I was putting as much space in between us as I could.

“I want to check your back.” He spun me and pulled my shirt up before I could say anything.

I tugged it back down. “It’s fine. Whatever you’ve been putting on has really helped. It’s healing well. I don’t need anything else.”

He turned me, pulling my shirt up again and then unrolling the fabric before I could stop him.

“I’m fine. I don’t need more.” I held the loose wrapping to my chest, even though he was behind me.