Celeste
I pressed deeper into Darien’s chest and felt his arms tighten around me. The lake was still in front of us, silver and quiet.
Tyler had planned to kill Darien. The thought kept circling. If I had ridden a different direction, Darien would have come here chasing me and Tyler would have been waiting. Without guards. Without Josh or Alec. Just my husband, riding into a trap I had set by running away.
I heard movement behind us. I lifted my head and saw Josh tending a fire, feeding the dead bandits’ bodies into it. Further off, Alec was standing over a patch of cleared earth with a shovel, preparing a grave.
For Tyler.
Something inside me went cold and hard.
I stood and walked toward Alec. ”Stop!”
He turned, startled by my voice.
I looked at the shallow hole in the dirt and sh
