She would have too.
No memories of torture for either of them.
Malcolm had been staying at her parents’, but Rowan had extended an offer to stay with her. She hoped he’d take her up on it in the near future. They’d already put things in motion to get him identification. It sounded as if he was a skilled electrician. She had no doubt they could figure out how to get him a real job in the field.
At first Rowan had enjoyed watching him have new experiences such as simply taking a walk down the street alone or sleeping in a big bed. Using a shower whenever he wished. Opening a cupboard and pulling out a box of crackers. But then she’d grown angry about all he’d missed, hating the men who had done this to Malcolm and her family.
Her brother had a long road ahead.
But lots of support.
“Malcolm’s going to do great,” Evan whispered to her. “Your family is fantastic.”
She looked him in the eye again, his face close to hers. “Thank you.” She lifted a hand to his cheek, running her fingers over the faint stubble. “I think you’re fantastic too.”
His eyes lit up. “You do?”
“Yes.” Evan was a good, trustworthy man, and she couldn’t wait to spend more time with him. Lots of time.
We waited a long time to get to this point.
“Ivy told me you might like me more than Thor,” he said with a knowing smile.
Rowan chuckled. “Ivy is deranged.”
“I told her it wasn’t true,” Evan said. “But then I told her I planned on changing that.”
She caught her breath at his serious gaze.
That might be easier than he realizes.
“How about we both work on it?”
His smile warmed her heart. “I’ve already started.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Rowan Wolff first appeared in A Merciful Promise. She intrigued me, and I knew I’d write about her in depth one day. Her relationship with her dog was fascinating, and I wanted to know why she limped. Evan Bolton has been a fan favorite since he first appeared in the Mercy Kilpatrick series. Many readers asked me to write his book and help him move past his unrequited interest in Mercy. It felt very natural to have him and Rowan come together.
If you’re wondering when the next Mercy Kilpatrick book is coming, I plan for it to be one of the next two books I write. It was definitely to be next, but Detective Noelle Marshall is stuck in my brain, and I’m vacillating between writing her and writing Mercy. Either way, I love to have previous characters pop up in the middles of my stories, and according to my email, my readers love it too.
Montlake has always let me decide what I wish to write. It is an amazing publisher, and I’m thankful every day that it’s published all my work. Charlotte has been my dev editor for more than ten years; she is simply the best and keeps my stories on track. My acquisitions editor, Anh, gives me and my books amazing support. My agent, Meg, always wants to know what I need and then immediately makes it happen.
On to the next.