The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Herman told Dailey to keep following Ben's trail.

But Ben had never crossed paths with the Salstrom family, or Anastasia. No grudges, no history-it didn't make sense for Ben to round up four ex-cons just to kidnap Anastasia for no reason. Someone else had to be behind it.

By the time Herman got home, it was well past midnight. He paused at the foot of the stairs, glancing up at the darkened bedroom window. No lights, just a thick silence. But he knew-Anastasia was sitting in the bay window, staring out into the darkness.

He headed upstairs, quietly opened the bedroom door. Anastasia flinched at the sound, gave him a quick look, then turned her gaze back outside.

Herman, respecting her space, sat down on the sofa a good ten feet away. He kept his voice gentle. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Can't," Anastasia replied, her voice so calm it was almost unsettling.

She was afraid to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw flashes of that awful night.

Herman watched her, struggling with what to say. Finally, he spoke. “That night... in the cave. Rowan was there. I went looking for him afterward."

Anastasia's brow furrowed at Rowan's name. She stared at Herman.

So she hadn't imagined it-Rowan really had been there.

Herman hadn't wanted to bring it up, but he couldn't keep it from her. Rowan had risked everything to save Anastasia. She deserved to know.

He went on, "Those four men-Rowan killed them. He got badly hurt. He's at a clinic on the north side."noveldrama

Anastasia was stunned. Rowan had killed four people for her.

They'd barely talked before. Why would he go so far?

He always seemed to show up when she was in danger.

For the first time, Herman felt truly inadequate. Someone else had protected his wife-done what he hadn't. Seeing Rowan lying in that hospital bed, battered and broken, made Herman realize how badly he'd failed her.

Anastasia was still in shock when she saw Rowan herself, wrapped in bandages, pale and silent. She could barely speak.

Rowan hadn't expected her. He looked startled for a split second, then turned his face away, not wanting her to see him like that.

"... Why are you here?" Rowan's voice was rough, but he already knew if Anastasia was here, Herman must have told her. He didn't get why Herman would do that. Was 't he jealous?

Anastasia finally managed, "Your wounds... they must hurt."

Rowan was covered in bandages, even his face. He hadn't slept through the night since it happened.

"It's nothing," he said, stubborn as ever, not wanting her to worry.

He'd lived on the edge for years, survived worse. But pain was still pain.

Anastasia's feelings were a tangled mess. Rowan had done all this for her. If she pretended she didn't know how he felt now, she'd be lying.

And the thought that he'd seen her at her absolute lowest made her uneasy.

He must have seen everything that happened in the cave.

She squeezed her hands together, silent.

Rowan looked over, saw how pale she was. "Are you... okay?"

Anastasia gave a bitter little smile. "Someone as damaged as me-what's the point, Rowan? Don't follow me anymore. I can't repay you for what you've done."

"I never wanted anything in return," Rowan said quietly. He could see how much weight she'd lost, and it tore at him. "That night in the cave, you weren't—"

Before he could finish, Hanna burst in. "What are you even doing here? If it wasn't for you, Rowan wouldn't be

lying here like this! You're nothing but trouble!"