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likely as the sun rising at night and
the moon at dawn.
    He watched Sam as they rode toward the stables. She hadn’t
been lying when she’d said she could ride. She sat on the back of the horse
with an ease that told him she’d been doing so for years. And Morning Star
eagerly responded to her easy commands. Sam had a light hand on the reins,
which came only from years of experience and a confidence in her own skills.
    Rex, the stable master, hurried out to greet them. Whatever
he’d planned to say died on his lips when he caught sight of Sam. He glanced at
the brothers before nodding to her. “Welcome to Hunter Keep.”
    Sam nodded. “Thank you.” She looked around. “Where’s the
phone? I need to call Tim.”
    The sound of another man’s name on her lips angered Jace.
“Who is this Tim?” He swung down off the back of the new stallion and handed
the reins to Rex.
    Sam dismounted before either brother could help her. “He’s
my father’s best friend and the closest thing I have left to family.”
    Jace frowned and wondered what had happened to her family.
Once again, he was reminded of just how alone she’d been when they’d found her.
“He will worry about you?”
    She shrugged. “Both he and his wife Mary will. I’m supposed
to go to dinner at their place tonight. If I don’t show, yeah, they’ll be
worried.”
    There was nothing they could do about that now. When she
returned home in three days they would discover Sam was fine. Putting the
matter from his mind, he turned to his brother. “Take her to meet Mother.”
    “Where are you going?” Darian asked him.
    “To work.” Anything to get his mind off Sam’s soft skin, her
full lips and distressed blue eyes. He wanted to scoop her into her arms, carry
her to his room and spend the next three days with her in his bed. And if he
did that, she’d hate him. And, while she might not be planning to stay, he
couldn’t bear the idea of her thinking of him with fear and possibly hate in
her heart. He’d told her he wouldn’t force himself or his company on her and
the only way to keep that promise was for him to stay far away from her.
    Otherwise, he might compromise his honor and love her until
she screamed his name. He turned his back on all of them and walked away,
heading toward the fields.
    It was a first for him. Jace had been born responsible. A
good thing since his sire and uncles were anything but. It had been Jace and
his mother, and later Darian, who’d kept their people fed, sheltered and
clothed, who’d kept the storage rooms filled with food and goods for
consumption and trade.
    But, for the first time in his life, he didn’t care about
responsibility or about Hunter Keep. All he cared about was Sam and the fact
she didn’t want him, didn’t want to stay and didn’t even seem willing to give
them a chance.
    His chest ached and he looked ahead to all the lonely years
that loomed ahead. He knew in his heart this was their one and only chance for
a bride.
     
    “Where is he going?” Sam felt as though she’d driven him
away. She also felt abandoned, which was stupid. He didn’t owe her anything.
Nor would she see him again once she was home. Why then did she feel as though
something special was slipping through her fingers?
    Darian shrugged. “The fields. Come inside. I want you to
meet our mother.”
    Their mother. They really had been telling the truth about
that. Sam pulled her phone out and tried again. It was still dead.
    “Sam.” Darian’s voice was soft and gentle. “Whatever that device
is, it won’t work here.”
    “Right. Because we’re in this other world called Javara.”
How long would they keep this up?
    He put his arm around her waist and guided her toward the
small castle. She glanced over her shoulder, wanting to catch another glimpse
of Jace. He seemed so alone. She knew what that felt like. But he wasn’t alone.
He was home and had his brother and mother, and a whole lot more people. She
couldn’t