Claiming Liberty by Nicole Cypher

Author:Nicole Cypher [Cypher, Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blue Rose Publishing

12

Angel

“Angel.”

A delicate hand touches my shoulder as the voice enters my consciousness. For a tiny moment of bliss, I think it’s Lib. I was just seeing her in a dream, felt her lips on mine, smelled the trace of chamomile in her hair.

“Angel, wake up,” the voice urges, snapping my eyes open.

Elsie’s head moves between me and my bedroom door. She’s still in Lib’s PJs, which are entirely too revealing, and her hair is a crazy mess like she’s just woken up. Her teeth are sunk into her bottom lip, and her blue eyes hold the same fear that’s been in them since the first time I saw her.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, bolting upright.

When knuckles rap on the door, Elsie yelps before jumping into bed with me, and I shrink away when the hot flesh of her shoulder connects with my bare chest. She slips her legs under the top sheet and throws the comforter over her head.

“Who is it?” I yell, my brow creasing.

“Cooper.”

“Please don’t let him take me back,” Elsie whines, wrapping her hands around my waist and latching herself onto me.

If I didn’t know this was Lib’s niece, didn’t remember all the things Lib told me about her, this would be uncomfortable.

Knowing her makes it so much worse.

I know that she cried every night for three months straight when she came to live at her uncle’s. I know she always eats her dessert first, and I know her dream is to go to Harvard and study Mandarin to become a teacher abroad.

She’s a child. A very sad, innocent child. Even more so than I already suspected when I knew her as Prudence.

“What do you want?” I yell to Cooper.

“Mr. Hansley wants the girl back at the manor.”

“No,” Elsie begs, her voice low so Cooper won’t hear. “Please, I don’t want to go.” Her nails dig into my back, and I gently put my hands over hers. “It’s all right,” I whisper, trying to shift away from her. I’d love to give her the comfort she’s clearly after, but she woke me up at the tail end of a dream that has my face flushed and my morning wood on full display.

“No, please,” she whines when she realizes I’m trying to get away.

“Sir.” Cooper knocks again. “I saw her go into your room. Could you please send her out?” His voice is strained like he’s irritated.

“Hold on,” I growl, regretting it as the bundle of anxiety clinging to my torso tenses.

I sigh as I throw the covers to my feet to expose Prudence. Her eyes are closed, creases jutting out on either side of them from how tightly she clenches.

I pat her shoulder. “It’s okay,” I assure her, taking her hands and prying them off me. She resists at first but eventually opens her eyes and slowly pulls away.

“Tell him to leave,” she whispers.

Regrettably, I shake my head. “I can’t. I need Sawyer to think I don’t know who you are. If we fight this, it’ll make things worse.

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