Page 51 of Claiming Liberty
“Please don’t let him take me back,” Elsie whines, wrapping her hands around my waist and latching herself onto me.
If I didn’t know this was Lib’s niece, didn’t remember all the things Lib told me about her, this would be uncomfortable.
Knowing her makes it so much worse.
I know that she cried every night for three months straight when she came to live at her uncle’s. I know she always eats her dessert first, and I know her dream is to go to Harvard and study Mandarin to become a teacher abroad.
She’s a child. A very sad, innocent child. Even more so than I already suspected when I knew her as Prudence.
“What do you want?” I yell to Cooper.
“Mr. Hansley wants the girl back at the manor.”
“No,” Elsie begs, her voice low so Cooper won’t hear. “Please, I don’t want to go.” Her nails dig into my back, and I gently put my hands over hers. “It’s all right,” I whisper, trying to shift away from her. I’d love to give her the comfort she’s clearly after, but she woke me up at the tail end of a dream that has my face flushed and my morning wood on full display.
“No, please,” she whines when she realizes I’m trying to get away.
“Sir.” Cooper knocks again. “I saw her go into your room. Could you please send her out?” His voice is strained like he’s irritated.
“Hold on,” I growl, regretting it as the bundle of anxiety clinging to my torso tenses.
I sigh as I throw the covers to my feet to expose Prudence. Her eyes are closed, creases jutting out on either side of them from how tightly she clenches.
I pat her shoulder. “It’s okay,” I assure her, taking her hands and prying them off me. She resists at first but eventually opens her eyes and slowly pulls away.
“Tell him to leave,” she whispers.
Regrettably, I shake my head. “I can’t. I need Sawyer to think I don’t know who you are. If we fight this, it’ll make things worse.”
Her bottom lip sticks out as she pouts, and a glossy sheen spreads in her eyes.
“I promise, you won’t have to be there long,” I hurry to add before she can start begging again. “It’s just safer this way.”
“But I don’t want—”
“I know.” I nod. “I’ll come get you soon. I just need to talk to Sawyer first so he isn’t suspicious.”
She looks like she’s about to protest, so I scoot to the other side of the bed and stand before she has a chance.
I knew it was possible this would happen. Sawyer’s going to do his best to keep Elsie away from me, so it’s unsurprising he’d send Cooper here to get her before we have a chance to talk more. I could fight her going back—Iwantto fight it—but I promised Lib I would protect Elsie, and I can’t do that if Sawyer thinks I’m turning against him.
If he knows how much I know … he might kill her. That could already be his plan.
So what I need to do now is make him change it. My mind spun all night, thinking about what to do, how the hell to get Lib off this island … again. How to get Elsie off.
There are many unknowns, but I came to one very obvious conclusion. If Sawyer wants to stop me, he can, and he will.
If Sawyer is my brother who would never cross me, then I could tell Cooper to go fuck himself right now and either keep Elsie here or fly her someplace safe.
But if that isn’t true… If I’m a tool for Sawyer to use and he’s been manipulating me for most of my adult life… Then there are a hell of a lot of guards and only one of me.
I adjust myself as discreetly as one can before walking to the door and throwing it open. Cooper stands, blank-faced with his hands clasped in front of him.
“What the fuck are you thinking, coming into my house?” I ask, one hand against the door frame.
He visibly swallows, the only tell that he’s nervous. “Mr. Hansley wants the girl back at the manor… You weren’t answering the front door.”
“Mmm.” I nod slowly as I drill my icy stare into him.