“This is the master,” he said, swinging the door open.
She stepped into the room. A king-size poster bed. Serene blues and cream, with touches of gold. Furniture that looked as if it had been made for the room. Beautiful, but … something about it felt wrong. Anonymous, like a well-appointed hotel room.
Bailey stopped in the center and turned slowly around.
As her gaze landed on the bed, she wondered if this was the same bed he had shared with True.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She forced thoughts of the other woman away. “It’s lovely.”
“You can redo it, any way you like.”
Bailey crossed to the balcony door, opened it and stepped out. He came up behind, looping his arms around her and easing her against his chest.
“Who’s that?” she asked, indicating a man trudging through the woods beyond the brick wall. A white dog was with him, running ahead, then circling back, only to dart ahead again.
“Henry. He’s worked for our family forever. When you meet him, don’t be scared by the way he looks, he’s a sweet, simple man.”
“Why would I be frightened of his looks?”
“He was mauled by a stallion. One of ours.”
“Oh, my God.”
“He sacrificed himself to save Mother. By the time we got him out, his injuries were extensive. His body healed, but his brain didn’t. And his face … well, after a half-dozen reconstructive surgeries, it seemed kinder to stop.”
“Does he live here, on the property?”
“He does. He has a small cabin on the far northeastern side.”
“What about the dog? What’s its name?”
“Tony.”
“Tony?” She tilted her head to look up at him. “It doesn’t seem to fit him.”
“It will, when you get to know him.” He turned her in his arms. “What do you think so far?”
“That it’s so beautiful, I won’t ever want to leave.”
“What about me, Bailey?” He tipped her face up to his, expression fierce. “Promise you’ll never leave me. That we’ll have babies and grow old together.”
It was what she’d always wanted. A family. Meals around a big table, familial chaos with laughter and bickering siblings. What she’d never had.
Logan looked so sad it broke her heart. “Children and grandchildren,” she said. “We’ll raise them here, together. I’ll never leave you. I promise, Logan.”
He drew her to the bed. With the French doors open to the cold day, they made love.
CHAPTER FOUR
“You son of a bitch!” The woman’s voice came from downstairs. “You get your sorry ass down here this minute!”
Bailey sat straight up, dragging the sheets with her. “Oh, my God, someone’s in the house!”
Logan groaned. “Not someone. Hurricane Raine.”
“Your sister?” Bailey squealed.
“Two minutes!” the woman shouted. “Or I’m coming up there!”
“Hold your bladder,” he yelled back. “I’m coming!”
Logan sat up, a smile tugging at his mouth. “I think she heard about us.”
“This is so humiliating.” Bailey brought her hands to her face. “What if she heard … you know. The balcony door was open.”
“It’s okay, baby.” He leaned across and kissed her. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.”
But Bailey wasn’t about to hide in the bed—naked, for heaven’s sake—and miss this first chance to meet her new sister-in-law. Or chance that the outspoken woman wouldn’t charge up here to see her for herself.
The moment Logan exited the room, she leaped up and began throwing herself together. After finishing by pulling her hair into a ponytail and dabbing on a bit of lip gloss, she headed into the hall.
And stopped on the landing. She heard them, although they stood at the bottom of the stairs, out of her line of sight.
“How could you do this to me, Logan? I’m your sister.”
“And I love you. But it’s my life.”
“And I like to think I’m a part of it.”
“You are, Raine. C’mon.”
Bailey heard the affection in his tone and smiled.
“She’s so sweet,” he said. “You’re going to like her. I promise.”
“That’s what you said about True.”
“And you liked her.”
“At first. Then she turned on us.”
“I don’t want to talk about her. And I won’t. Not today.”
“You don’t see the parallels? You thought she was sweet, too. You brought her home, just like this—”
Bailey crept closer and was just able to peek down at them.
“—surprise! ‘Meet my young, beautiful wife! Love her. She’s family now.’”
The bitterness and anger in Raine’s voice shocked her. As did the news that Logan had done this before, gotten married in a romantic whirlwind.
Bailey had thought she was special, that their love was a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Apparently not, if Raine was to be believed. Bailey pushed the thought—and the way it hurt—aside and refocused on their conversation.
“They’re two different people,” Logan said, voice low, reassuring. “You’ll see.”
Raine lowered her voice; Bailey had to strain to hear. “But you’re the same. I can’t … I couldn’t stand to see you heartbroken again.”
Bailey stepped out into the open. “You won’t have to,” she said clearly, forcing a confident smile. “I love your brother with all my heart.”
Raine looked up at her. She was beautiful—brown hair so dark it was nearly black, classic features—a feminine version of Logan save for the color of their eyes. Instead of light green, hers were a deep, rich brown.
And right now, they glittered with fury.
“Here she is,” Logan said. “My beautiful bride.”
His smile chased the chill away. She descended the stairs and went to his side. He drew her close, arm possessively around her.
“Bailey Abbott, meet my sister, Raine.”
Bailey smiled brightly at her new sister-in-law, and held out her hand. “Hurricane Raine,” she said. “I’m so happy to finally meet you.”
Something in the woman’s expression shifted subtly. Admiration? For her backbone? Or anticipation? As if she’d decided Bailey could prove a worthy opponent … or an easy target?
She took Bailey’s hand. “You’re right, Logan. She’s not True. I think she and I are going to get along famously.”