Page 5 of Unbound

Ruth tilts her head, eyes narrowing. “If you aren’t Lindsey, then who are you?”

Once again, a set of dark blue eyes comes my way. She takes a shaky breath before offering what may or may not be another lie. “My name is Sybil.”

Sybil. I turn the name over in my mind, trying to make it fit the woman standing in front of me. I’m not sure it does. She’s so sweet. So warm. So friendly. Full of smiles and positivity. Sybil sounds like it belongs to someone serious. Someone seductive. Someone dangerous.

Maybe it fits her a little.

“So why did you lie?” Maren glares at the woman I’m guessing is no longer gonna be working for me, looking like she’s considering throwing hands. “And it better be fucking good, because the man I love was shot because of you.”

Lind— Sybil’s lower lip seems to quiver. “I’m so sorry about that. If I thought they would find me so quickly, I never would’ve come here.”

They? “Who’s they?”

The whole room turns to stare at me, including Sybil. Like they can’t believe I’ve actually said something.

It’s a pretty common reaction from them, and it’s starting to get real fucking annoying. I talk plenty. Do I run my mouth like Tucker or Toby? No. Doesn’t mean I’m not capable of asking a goddamned question.

Sybil shakes her head the tiniest bit, the messy length of her normally shiny hair shifting around her shoulders. “I don’t know.” She starts to take a step toward me, but then stops. “I wish I did. I would tell you. I promise.”

I can’t stop the bitter laugh that works its way out. “No offense, but your promises don’t mean shit.”

She swallows, the delicate line of her throat working. Eyes wide, she nods. “I get that.”

I don’t think she does. I don’t think Sybil has the first clue what she’s done. The pain she’s caused. “If you don’t know who they are, why do you think they were here for you?”

This time, Sybil does take a step toward me, her eyes never leaving my face as she answers. “Right before I moved here, someone threatened me. Said they were going to find a way to get rid of me.”

I let her words marinate for a minute. “Is that why you changed your name? Why you came here?”

I want there to be some justifiable explanation for why she did what she did. A reason behind all this that has nothing to do with the Dead Dans or the prick who shot Trevor. Something that will get rid of the suspicion I feel.

Because I’m not sure my family can get over another betrayal. Especially from someone they allowed to get so close.

Sybil winces, like she knows I’m not gonna like her answer. “Kinda?”

“What the fuck sort of answer is that?” Maren is full of piss and vinegar tonight, and I get it. I understand why she’s mad. She was getting to know a woman named Lindsey. Believed they were going to be friends. She brought the woman into her home. Tried to befriend her.

And then her boyfriend was shot—literally—and she was stabbed in the back. Fortunately, not literally, but still probably just as painful.

But yelling and screaming isn’t going to get us anywhere. Not tonight. We’re all fucking tired and beat down, and I don’t think a single one of us is thinking straight.

So I step in, putting an end to the interrogation. For now.

“This is a conversation for tomorrow.” I want answers as much as anyone, but I know when to push through and when to bide my time. And right now, we need to take a minute. “Everyone is safe for the moment, and we all need showers and sleep.” I don’t usually get this involved in shit, but right now I’m the only voice of reason. All the women are hurt, and my cousins go fucking feral when someone upsets the women they love. I’m the only one who doesn’t have a snarling dog in the fight. “Let’s take the night. Sleep on it. Then regroup in the morning.”

I expect at least one person to fight me—Maren—but no one does. It’s a testament to how exhausted we all are. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. We’re fucking drained.

“Yeah. Okay.” Sybil gives me a shaky smile. “That’s fine. I can come back in the⁠—”

“You’re not going anywhere.” I cut her off.

She blinks, like her brain glitches. “What?”

“You’re not leaving.” I cross both arms over my chest. “Not until we know what the fuck’s going on.”

I don’t know if I believe Sybil’s involved with any of the shit that’s happened to my family and business, but I also don’t know if I believe she’s not. And until I can make that distinction, she’s not leaving this property.

Plus, she seems to think someone’s after her. So even if she’s not a threat to us—especially if she’s not—it’s in her best interest to stay right where she is.