Chapter 16: Nights Only, Beth

Bethany's POV

I woke in Abel's bed with the sun on my face and his arm heavy across my ribs.

He was already awake, and he was looking at me, exactly as he had said he would.

I let him.

Then I reached for my phone and answered Brock's lawyer, with the Friday deadline three days off.

I typed one line: no signature, no confession, see you in court.

Abel read it over my shoulder and kissed my temple.

By evening I had decided I was done being the only one in this house who didn't get to make rules.

I was drying a pan at the kitchen sink when Eli came up behind me and kissed the side of my neck.

It was a small thing.

It was also five in the afternoon, with the window open and the yard in plain view.

Lyle was leaning on the doorframe with a beer.

"Careful, Eli," he said. "Nights only, Beth."

He said it lightly, with the crooked grin.

Eli went red to the ears.

"That was the rule, wasn't it?" Lyle said. "Days we're good."

"That was Clint's rule."

"Everybody's rule."

"Then it's an old one," I said, and I put the pan down. "I'm going to change it."

"Oh?" He took a drink. "Who's running this house now?"

"I am. And I'm starting with you."

His eyebrows went up.

I went upstairs, and I took the ribbons out of the box on my dresser and came back down with them.

One was blue.

One was pink.

I had worn them in my braids at twelve, and Lyle had kept them for years before he put them back.

I let them hang from my fingers where he could see.

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