Page 109 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not

She tried to blink the tears back but failed. They fell in quiet streams, as she sucked in a sharp breath.

“You’d do that?” Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

Nathaniel’s expression went hard.

“You’re my sister. I will destroy anyone who ever tries to hurt you, and that includes our father. You know that.”

“I don’t know if I can ever repay you for this.” Kaylani covered her mouth. “I’ll make sure you get the money back even if I have to work twice as much.”

“Stop it. I’m not asking you to pay me back. I’m telling you, we will make sure you don’t have to do anything you don’t want. I’m tired of the way Father treats the members of this family.”

For the first time since the trailer doors latched behind Atlas, I felt something that almost resembled relief.

Kaylani swallowed and nodded as she wiped tears from her cheeks with the palms of her hands.

“Thank you.”

She gave Nathaniel one more quick hug, then stepped back.

“I need a minute.”

She turned on her heel and rushed out of the barn. I didn’t follow her outside. She needed a moment alone to break, and I knew she didn’t want anyone, including her brother or me, to see it happen.

“Thanks for doing this.”

Nathaniel’s gaze met mine.

“Always. For both of you. I have your back, too. I’m pulling rank. I already told Dimitri you’re off his leash. I put it in writing so he can’t pretend he misheard me.”

I cringed.

“Shit. I wish you hadn’t done that.”

Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed.

“Why?”

“He will ban me from the property, and that is where Kaylani lives. Pretending to be her guard is the only way I can stay close enough to protect her.”

“Just protect her?” He smirked.

“No, of course not. But right now, protecting her is my number one priority. It has to be.”

Nathaniel snorted.

“No. Not anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that we are going to take care of that problem too,” he said, then stopped himself as Dylan started down the aisle toward us. “We’ll finish this conversation later.”

A glimmer of hope glowed inside of me, but it felt more like a new kind of threat. Hope didn’t make Dimitri less dangerous. It only gave him a better target to destroy.

“You must be Nathaniel Mikhailov.” Dylan held out his hand. “My father speaks highly of you. I’m Dylan Winterton.”

Nathaniel gripped Dylan’s hand and gave him the business smile he used for all associates. It was a perfect mask.

“Good to meet you. Thank you for making room at your stable for my sister.”