Keepsake (True North, #3)

by Sarina Bowen

I’d never thought of myself as the damsel-in-distress type. But apparently, getting kidnapped turns you into a needy little bitch.

“Griff says he has a lot of scarring on his backside, too. They whipped him.” “Jesus.” “I know. He’s a sweetie.” “The sweetest,”

“Didn’t you ever hear the phrase, ladies first?” “That’s only true in bed,” Kyle said, reaching for another cracker. Griffin snorted. “At least you have manners somewhere.”

“Thank you, Lark’s big-ass brain.” I passed the pad back to Griffin. “I think Kieran just said my ass looks big.”

But then I leaned back a few millimeters to enhance the contact between his palm and my spine. Everything is fine, I told herself. Safest place in the world.

“Facebook. It’s from the devil.” Across from me, Zach put down his fork. “You know, that’s one thing cults got right.”

Next Sunday is my last one before I go to France.” Griff pouted into his coffee cup. “Don’t fall for any skinny Frenchmen.” “I would never!” She put a hand in the center of his massive chest. “I like ’em big and grumpy.”

Lark had woken me on several occasions. Sometimes all it took was a pat on the shoulder to comfort her. Sometimes she’d just snap out of it and apologize. But other times she didn’t shake it off as easily, and I’d wake up in her bed the next morning.

That left me holding her hand, and looking down at a beautiful,

I’d taken care to leave a nice spread of the mattress between us, but Lark wasn’t having it. She wiggled closer to my body until her hip and leg lined up against mine. She rested our clasped hands on her thigh and let out a sigh.

As I lay there, I became more comfortable. I loved the feeling of her slim hand in mine.

I wasn’t close to many people, and nobody counted on me for support. Probably the very definition of lonely. Lying close to Lark made me want things that I usually didn’t think so much about.

“Hang in there,” I whispered. “The night won’t last forever.” She relaxed, and I was the reason.

“You’re okay.” Lark swallowed hard. “I know.” She didn’t, though, and that was the problem.

“Lark, what happened to you in Guatemala?” Her face fell. “I got kidnapped.” “Fuck.”

I smiled back because it was true, and because she’d noticed.

She wore her thoughtful face for a moment, and I realized that I’d already memorized all of her expressions.

“I thought I was going to die out there.” I already regretted asking her to talk about it. And the only comfort I could offer was to rub her hand between both of mine.

So there are countries where grabbing stupid girls is a cash crop. But this group—turns out I was their very first target, and they hadn’t figured out yet how to be kidnappers. So it took them a long time to reach the negotiator. It’s almost funny, right? I couldn’t even get kidnapped by the right people.” “It’s not funny at all.”

“What happened?” “They found out. And they killed him. In front of me. I don’t actually remember every detail. A doctor told me that the mind sometimes protects us by hiding upsetting memories.”

“I’m so sick of being afraid,” she whispered. “You don’t have to be anymore.” Her hand was still in mine, and I gave it one more squeeze. “If anyone wants to get you, they’ll have to go through me.”

Kiss her, my heart prodded, and I wanted to obey. But a kiss wasn’t what she needed just now. So, acting on some instinct I didn’t know I had, I tugged her by the hand until she landed half on my chest. Then I wrapped an arm around her back and just held her instead.

the way her body relaxed against mine was my reward—a token of my accomplishment. A few of her demons had fled the room, and that was all that mattered.

I just can’t figure out why they’d toss you of all people.” The compliment was indirect, but it lit me up inside.

I chuckled, and she giggled into my neck. Best feeling ever. I don’t know why this didn’t feel weird. Maybe it was the fact that it was the middle of the night, but holding her felt like the most natural thing ever.

“And you said her name was…” “Chastity,” I supplied. “Oh, Zach.” “I know. The irony,”

I said, enjoying her smile as much as the feel of her body against mine.

“Maybe she did get out.” “Maybe,” I agreed, just to be nice. But the odds were practically zero. The elders would have married Chastity off right away. And the old man wouldn’t have waited to take her to his bed. She might have two kids by now.

But here’s the thing about Paradise Ranch—even if I didn’t ever want to go back, it still stung that they’d thrown me away.

Paradise Ranch was the worst place on earth, and yet I hadn’t been good enough to stay.

I watched them for a moment, realizing that coming outdoors was the right decision. Everything was made more bearable by watching Zach’s golden form lunge for a flying disc.

“Look out!” I yelled, but Zach didn’t hear me. He was staring in my direction, slack-jawed as the Frisbee clocked him right in the head.

“Nice dress, Wild Child,” Griff said. “Rawwrrr. Zach almost lost his teeth because of it.”

On the lawn, the guys were drinking their tea and talking. Except for Zach, who was watching Gilman with an unreadable expression.

“I didn’t know what to think when you disappeared. It was a terrible time for me.” “Really?” I flinched. Not as terrible as it was for me.

“Well, now you can register for crystal and china without wondering whether my funeral would interfere with your engagement party.”

“But go ahead, May. You know you want to say it. Tell me you never liked him.” My best friend sat down on the bed again. “It’s not nice to say ‘I told you so.’”

“The sex was just okay.” I sighed. “But he made excellent coffee.” Both May and Zach howled with laughter.

“Sweetie, you’re better off without him.” I brought my knees up to her chest. “True. But I was already without him. Now I’m without him and offended.”

“Okay, listen up! My boyfriend never loved me, and he’s marrying someone else!” A barely muffled male voice came from the other side of the bunkroom wall. “Bummer!”

“Also, Zach is a sushi virgin!” “Shocker!” came Griffin’s voice, and then someone else laughed. “And May isn’t a virgin!”

I let her scale me like a tree because my childcare game has always been weak. She wrapped one of her stubby little arms around my head, and I peeked out beneath it to see Lark watching me with a soft expression on her face.

looking at Lark always made me want to smile anyway.

Audrey lifted out a small wad of red tissue paper. She fumbled with that for a moment, finding a tiny satin bag inside. And then she lifted a sparkling ring out of the bag.

“Princess, will you be my wife?” “Yes!” she shouted. “But you weren’t supposed to spend money on a ring! Our budget is a house of cards.” He wrapped his big arms around her middle. “I think I heard a yes in there somewhere.”

“Awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you, Griff?” “Only about you,” he said quietly, kissing her on the cheekbone.

Griffin just won the lottery. Someone loves him above all others.

Everyone assumes they know why talk of sex makes me uncomfortable. They think it scares me, or I don’t know what to do with it. But that’s bull. I know exactly what I’d like to do with it. With her.

“Who are we going to find for you, Zachy?” Your best friend?

“Is that a Star Wars quote?” “No!” I barked out a laugh. “It’s Matthew 22:14.”