The Bound Between Us

Herman told Dailey to keep following Ben's trail.

But Ben had never crossed paths with the Salstrom family, or Anastasia. No grudges, no history-it didn't make sense for Ben to round up four ex-cons just to kidnap Anastasia for no reason. Someone else had to be behind it.

By the time Herman got home, it was well past midnight. He paused at the foot of the stairs, glancing up at the darkened bedroom window. No lights, just a thick silence. But he knew-Anastasia was sitting in the bay window, staring out into the darkness.

He headed upstairs, quietly opened the bedroom door. Anastasia flinched at the sound, gave him a quick look, then turned her gaze back outside.

Herman, respecting her space, sat down on the sofa a good ten feet away. He kept his voice gentle. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Can't," Anastasia replied, her voice so calm it was almost unsettling.

She was afraid to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw flashes of that awful night.

Herman watched her, struggling with what to say. Finally, he spoke. “That night... in the cave. Rowan was there. I went looking for him afterward."

Anastasia's brow furrowed at Rowan's name. She stared at Herman.

it-Rowan really

couldn't keep it from her. Rowan had risked everything

He got badly hurt. He's

had killed four

talked before. Why would he go so

always seemed to show up

what he hadn't. Seeing Rowan lying in that hospital bed, battered and broken, made Herman realize how badly he'd failed

still in shock when she saw Rowan herself, wrapped in bandages, pale and silent. She

second, then turned his face away, not wanting her to see him

was here, Herman must have told her. He didn't get why

finally managed, "Your wounds... they must

bandages, even his face. He

he said, stubborn as

on the edge for years, survived

tangled mess. Rowan had done all this for her. If she pretended she didn't know how