He Caged Me for Fifteen Years novel · Chapter 21 of 24

Chapter 21: The Open Door

Niall's POV

I took her down to the cellar myself.

Nobody told me to.

My father's word had gone out across the yard, and the big man had come back from the barn with his hat in his hand and gone straight past me up the road.

The old men were gone from the porch.

The Wolves were climbing back on their bikes, and Wolf Callister was walking away down Route 9 alone.

I walked down the stairs ahead of her with the key to the cage in my fist.

I did not need it. The gate stood open already.

I stopped in front of it anyway.

The bare bulb swung a little on its cord from the draft on the stairs.

On the wall inside, the fifteen marks stood in a row, scratched with a nail, one for every year my father had served.

"I made those," I said.

"I know."

"I made them standing right here."

"Why?"

"So I'd remember what Wolf owed us."

She stood at my shoulder.

I could smell the road on her, gasoline and sun.

"Is it done, Niall?"

"It's done. He's out. They voted him out in front of both clubs."

"I'm not asking about him."

"I know."

I put my hand in my vest pocket.

My hand was shaking, and I hated that.

I took out the rag, folded small and wrapped three times, soft with handling.

I held it out.

"It's yours."

She did not take it.

"You said not yet."

"I said not yet because my father still ruled this house. He doesn't now. He's an old man with no cane."

"What's in it?"

"You know what's in it."

← Chapter 20 · All chapters · Chapter 22 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend